Remnant - The World Left Behind
by ExpendableVoice
Summary: After defeating Satan Morroc, a group of players pursue him through the Dimensional Gap. However, an untimely disconnect leaves one player character stranded, and now the directionless avatar has found itself lost in a new world.
1. Start of the Adventure

**Chapter 1**  
 **Start of the Adventure**

* * *

 _Safety Wall, biochemist. Soul Exhale, high priest. Indulge. Heal, self..._

He looked up into the clear blue sky, the contents of the last hour repeating in his mind, unable to do anything but process the sounds and images as they filled his thoughts.

 _'...Incoming incarnations, assist with interception. Fiber Lock, incarnation. Soul Strike, ghost incarnation. Soul exhale, champion. Indulge. Heal, self. Heaven's Drive, incarnation...'_

His thoughts… Was that what you would call them? Compared to now, where he could actually think well enough to have memories, those broken sentences could hardly be called thoughts. Barely formed subjects and actions, there was no way they could compare to the vivid play that was dancing in his mind's eye. And yet, thinking back, those fragments were the only thing that truly stuck out in his mind.

 _'... "NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" Projected health at 5%. Maintain distance. "I AM SATAN MORROC, DEMON KING OF DESTRUCTION!" Status: silenced. Consume green potion. Standby...'_

At that moment, where victory seemed assured, his strongest thoughts were not any feeling of elation or adrenaline. He barely remembered any sort of emotional rush, nor could he remember any lingering pain. Each act of twisting his life force into spiritual energy barely registered, and the sensation of turning said spiritual energy to raw magical power was equally empty. Even the sensation of being silenced, unable to manifest his magical powers as something halted his spirit, didn't stick out.

 _'... Morroc fled. Battle concluded. MVP: xxxxxx. Collect fragments. Confirm supplies...'  
_  
A furrowed brow was the response to his next memory. He wasn't too sure where the term "MVP" came from, but he was fairly certain that the garbled mess that came afterwards was supposed to be a name. If the images in his memories were any indication, then the Champion with an odd light above her head was the alleged MVP, but he couldn't remember her name to save his life.

 _'... Follow. Approach Dimensional Gorge...'_

And just like that, he followed the rest of the heroes towards the massive hole in the ground. The images in his memory didn't tell him if the arid desert air changed as he approached the rift, nor could he remember the sensation; he barely remembered what "arid" felt like. Instead, all it showed him was himself drawing closer to the dimensional gap, his position somewhere between the vanguard out front and the support behind. There was no one around him as he watched himself step into the rift.

 _'... Connection t-xxxx...xx-..ost ...'_

And that was the last thing he could remember; a completely broken sentence that blocked the rest of the memory. That is, if you don't count him remembering the last few moments, when he finally found himself sprawled on ... the floor of some circular ruins? _Well that's ominous. 'Comes with pedestals and everything.'_ Still, it was an odd sensation; for once, the memory's image was through his perspective, and he couldn't see himself at all. Just like now… though he was fairly certain there wasn't any sort of growling in the background at that point.

Oh.

Before he could contemplate further, the Scholar was introduced to another new sensation, as he was launched through the air and into a nearby pillar. There, he discovered the feeling of skipping across rock, air, and rock again, as well as the sharp pain of said rock meeting his back. It was unpleasant, but nothing he couldn't endure. With surprising speed, he clamoured up to his feet, sparing only a moment to check that all his equipment was still on his person. Hat? check. Books? also check. What about his fancy white gloves and pocket watch? All check. Monocle? Don't ask. Though really, he probably didn't need to check half those things, but no real harm in making sure.

A roar and another tackle from his assailant knocked him out of his thoughts, and he barely deflected the blow with the larger of his two books. The magical wards on the massive tome were strong enough to resist the blow, so its position as a shield wasn't ill-suited. Finally able to ward off an attack, the Scholar was finally given a chance to look at his assailant, and the sight of an oversized boar clad with ivory plating confused him.

 _'A black gullinbursti? With armour, I guess?'_ He reached for the name of the closest thing he could think of, and it fit well enough. Both creatures were much larger than wild boar, and enjoyed charging recklessly. _Let's see if they burn the same..._ Reaching into his robe, he took out a bundle of thick webbing, no doubt from some deranged spider monster. Imbuing it with some spiritual energy, he launched it forward, the space in front of him glowing menacingly with a translucent spiderweb stretched along the ground. "Fiber Lock!"

He mentally cringed as he shouted out the technique's name, resolving to never do so again. Honestly, he wasn't too sure what possessed him to scream like that in the past. Regardless, the giant black boar of death charged forward, and was instantly wrapped with magically infused webbing. The next step was second nature to him, as the Scholar began collecting his spirit, lighting it with elemental flame. Unnaturally taut, the webbing remained intact as the disabled beast struggled, giving the Scholar plenty of time to finish his invocation, as ten separate streaks of fire pelted the boar in succession. A pained screech echoed from the monster's snout, fire igniting the webbing as it wrapped around the beast, freeing and immolating it at the same time.

As abruptly as they started, the twisted screeches ended, with both the web and boar alike consumed by the magical flame. Hopefully, nothing heard the noise, as the last thing the Scholar needed was more attention. _'At least until I figure out where I- ... Did its corpse just turn to smoke?' Whatever._ Shaking his head, the Scholar finally began to look around. _'Might as well follow my job title for once.'_

And with that, he began walking to the first interesting thing that caught his eye.

* * *

 _'Now that's... interesting.'_

It was a contemplative thought, belonging to a man who really liked the colour green; a green scarf, jacket, even his vest and slacks were some kind of dark green. His gaze was currently fixed to some spot in the distance, and his expression was not a happy one. He took a quick sip from his mug, an ornament fixed permanently in one of his hands, before turning to his associate.

"Glynda, would you be so kind as to check on the artifacts for a moment?" His expression was serious, and his words carried a slight sense of urgency.

"Of course, Headmaster Ozpin." A professional voice responded to the man's inquiry, and Glynda instantly stopped halted her concerns about some child named Jaune, before shifting her attention back to her scroll. The sleek device was a flat black block, currently displaying one of the many camera feeds throughout the forest. With a few taps, the active feed cycled between various pairs of teenagers, skimming over brawls, arguments, and friendly conversations, until she finally stopped. "Wait, what is the meaning of this?"

"That's what I'd like to know, Glynda. Either a student we had no prior knowledge of just enrolled, started, and completed the test, or we may have a trespasser in our midst." Ozpin brought a hand up to his chin, idly stroking it as he watched the individual on the screen. "Odd choice of clothing as well."

Glynda could only nod in response. The person in question wore a red, sleeveless coat, which wasn't quite suited to the weather at this time of the year. Even more curiously, he wore some kind of cloth sleeves on his forearms that... had a meter or so of fabric extending out from them? But clothes were the least of her concern, as the teacher pulled up the applicant listing. "We have no student like that registered at Beacon."

"... This is concerning." Ozpin turned from Glynda's scroll, fixing his view back towards the horizon, staring off into the woods. "I believe one of the groups is about to make contact with our... friend. Let's hope this year's test doesn't prove to be too problematic."

* * *

It was at that moment that two teenage girls saw their goal.

The first girl had flowing blonde hair and violet eyes, carefully scanning the ruins with one hand tucked inside her brown leather jacket. Judging by her black short shorts and fingerless gloves, the gesture was more for show than a need to heed the elements, as only her yellow scarf afforded any real protection. The second girl dressed in black and white the same way the first did in yellow; a black ribbon was tied atop her long black, dressed in a black gothic waistcoat and black stockings that gradually turned to purple as they approached her black shoes.

"Think this is i- Hey! Who's that?" The blonde girl's calm demeanour was broken the instant she spotted a young man at the center of the ruins, one hand holding an unreasonably large book as he examined the floor tiles, all while kicking sporadically at the cobblestone. She turned to her partner, unsure of what they should do. "Don't suppose he's a friend of yours?"

A blank, tired stare was her response.

"Okay, sheesh. I didn't see a student like that earlier, though. Did you?" The blonde girl squinted a bit, taking in the odd attire that the young man wore. Surely she'd remember if someone wore something that ridiculous during the test's little peptalk, but she was drawing a blank. And judging by the fact that her partner's only shaking her head, she was fairly certain that wasn't a student. "Okay, so, if he's not a student, do you think he's a huntsman?"

"A huntsman would know about the test taking place at the moment." The girl in black finally spoke up, her voice low and filled with suspicion as she examined the ruins. "He doesn't look armed, but these are Grimm-infested woods. We should be careful." She knew full well that appearances could be deceiving, and proper precautions were neces-

"Hey! Mind telling who you are and why you're messing with our entrance exam?!" And in one fell swoop, her partner ignored all of it. The irritation on her face must've been obvious, if blonde girl's next words were anything to go by. "What's the matter, Blake?"

"You know what? Never mind." Blake gave her partner last tired stare, before gesturing to the man in the ruins, her voice somewhere between exasperated and sarcastic. "You wanna give him your name too while you're at it?"

"Uhh... I guess so? I'm Yang! Who're you?" Having caught none of Blake's tone, the blonde girl turned from partner to stranger in one smooth motion, giving him a friendly wave. That wave stopped as soon as they saw the look in his eyes.

"Ljlfp wrk pv mplcgy jvlmgaqu wy olj iycfp. Rff P rzn'k jgjcrnzrg avp ajkczgtn. Nzca rz yfm vdc hael?" The words coming from the man's mouth sounded... wrong. Coupled with his glare, and a strange build-up of aura, Blake and Yang immediately drew their weapons.


	2. A Forest Encounter (1)

**Chapter 2**  
 **A Forest Encounter (1)**

* * *

 _'There's something about this room...'_ The Scholar furrowed his brow as he began circling the center of the ruins, his eyes drifting from pedestal to pedestal, squinting at the small figurines atop each surface. He tried to focus his spiritual power on one of the miniatures to no avail, unable to Sense a thing. However, he felt a familiar ... lingering sensation in these ruins. One which he could almost recognize, if it weren't so fleeting. Unfortunately, no amount of concentration could help him figure it out.

So, rather than try to puzzle it out some, he decided to something productive. He dove into his his bag, quickly rummaging through his supplies. _'Let's see... Basic gemstones and elemental stones, some scrolls... A bunch of blue potions. A frying pan?_ ' Looking past the mundane, the Scholar turned his attention to his weapons, where something else caught his eye. _An encyclopedia._ He wasn't too sure why it was filed under weapons, but he had vague memories where he'd use it as a rudimentary bludgeon, which was odd. It was equally odd how he didn't remember ever actually reading his books. _'Might as well start now.'_

Honestly, he wasn't quite sure how looking through an encyclopedia would help, since he'd need to go through it entry by entry. And it's not like this place was still Rune-Midgard. Still, he was in no rush, and quickly found out he could read exceptionally fast. Thus, he began skimming through the book for something interesting to catch his eye. _'Anvil... Ba Gua... Blade Lost in Darkness... Brigan... Charcoal...'_ At least the encyclopedia had short blurbs and tiny pictures. Might've made the book thicker, but it certainly helped with the skimming facto- _'Wait, what's that? Emperium? Merely owning this gloriously resplendent gem is said to be a sign of being chosen by fate to wield power.'_

He knew about Emperium, of course. Though he never participated in it, he knew full well of the conflicts that centered around the strange mineral. Dubbed the "War for Emperium", these conflicts were more glorified events instead of actual bloodshed. That's not to say that violence and combat didn't exist; it was as bloody as any other war. However, it was conflict between heroes, and by virtue of being heroes, the participants never really died permanently. And the reason why he stopped on the mineral was because this little ruin felt suspiciously like an Emperium room. Was this the site of some conflict between undying heroes at one point?

 _Why? And what makes heroes come back like that?_ He never questioned it before, but now that he took the time to actually read for once... _Does Emperium have something to do with it?_ He began examining the room again, his attention focused on the center of the room, his foot tapping at the cobblestone. _Are these tiles engraved? Does this mean this place really used to be a castle?_ Honestly, he couldn't tell from just a cursory glance, so he'll have to-

"Fel! Sgnq zclyolg jnm yba yrr gld jnw yba'pe zkqsvte wvzf ohx cngxynpk cxns?!" A sudden yell snapped him out of his thoughts, and the Scholar immediately turned to face the source, which was... a female Champion? It certainly wasn't what he was expecting, given what he heard. No human should've been able to make those sounds. _Maybe she was just a local warrior or... something._

He immediately remembered how he got here in the first place. After all, he ended up here after the heroes chased after Satan Morroc. And whatever she said didn't sound like words, but rather a muffled feminine voice put through a grinder, with the words echoing off of one another. Was this an advanced incarnation or something? What was it?

His spiritual power focused once more, this time to Sense exactly how monstrous this thing was. If she truly was another hero, then Sense wouldn't manifest. However, if she was a monster of some kind, then he'd know exactly what kind she was. Somehow. _How did I know that again?_ He couldn't exactly remember how it fed him information, but the skill still never failed to tell him all he needed to know. With one last shift of spiritual power, he looked into the essence that composed the Champion(?)'s soul.

And then he flinched.

He wasn't sure if the Sense succeeded or failed; the information that it fed to him was unlike anything he felt before. Neither the undead he's stumbled across, nor anything from the cursed capital Glast Heim... Not even the beasts that roamed Niflheim or the incarnations brought forth by Satan Morroc felt so... wrong. The **thing** in front of him technically had spiritual power, or rather a soul, but it bled out and mixed unnaturally with the physical form, which in turn drew out more spiritual power. To bleed out, before re-entering the body. And he wasn't even sure if it was doing that. All he could tell was that its elemental property was probably fire. He couldn't even sense a name or species for that thing.

Things. There was a second one. He didn't even have time to mentally slap himself for missing it. Instead, he conjured another Sense, only to confirm that it was a similar abomination. The black one, which looked like some sort of fluffy Assassin Cross, had the elemental property of shadow. What was more worrying was how its soul seemed to flicker around the physical form, always maintaining the same silhouette, sometimes appearing an inch too far to the left or right for just a moment. The spiritual power felt like static, screeching each time its unnatural twitches split it apart. And like the first, there was no legible name.

"Shu... O euryq sb? O'k Ynte! Wuu'pe lus?" The yellow thing made another **noise**. The words grated against him as he strained to find meaning behind them. However, he couldn't understand a thing, and simply prepared for the worst. He began gathering energy once more, shaping the power into bolts of ice, before establishing a link with his weapon. It was a technique officially labeled Hindsight, but all it did was allow his magic to surge with his body's adrenaline, reflexively firing whatever basic skill he infused it with. Next, he slowly gathered within himself with another kind of spiritual power, his magic now swirling with an echoing wake. This too enhanced simple magic spells such as his frost bolts, giving them a chance to resonate and cast once more. This technique was aptly named Double Bolt.

They weren't the best, but it was enough for now. With his preparations complete, his gaze fell to the first figure who called him out. His voice was grim as he bellowed his reply. "There was no yellow champion in our group. And I don't recognize the assassin. What do you two want?"

When he saw the two things assume a combat stance, he responded in kind, no longer paying attention to their twisted screeches.

* * *

"Glynda. Cancel the test."

There was no longer any ambiguity in Ozpin's voice. The situation had turned dire. It was the first time he had felt aura... fuse itself to such a degree. His instincts told him that _something_ was different about that young man, but now he knew for sure it was something _bad_. "Contact professor Oobleck and tell him to bring a Bullhead along with a few other staff."

Headmaster Ozpin's words only confirmed Glynda's fears. She quickly sent a message to Bartholomew, before putting her scroll away. Without another word, both huntsmen sped off towards the woods.

* * *

"Blake, what the hell is that?" Yang's voice wasn't quite panicked yet, but it was close to being that. And she was definitely disturbed. What they thought was a person suddenly... changed. She was never the best at reading aura, since there was no reason to; I mean, they had machines for that, right? But even she could feel him twist and shift. He already felt out of place before he did that... whatever thing. Now, he gave a sense of refined dread, and she couldn't describe it as anything other than that. "Seriously! Have you ever seen anything like that before?"

Blake's own expression solemn as her view shifted from Yang to the monster in front of her. "Never..." That was all she could say as she drew Gambol Shroud, her huntress weapon. It unfurled into two weapons, as Blake gripped a bladed sheathe-turned-cleaver in one hand and a katana thing in the other. Yang followed suit, snapping her wrists to loosen her body and prepare her own huntress weapon, the Ember Cilica. The air rung with telltale sound of buckshot being loaded, and both girls turned to face the human-shaped monster before them.

"So... Do we wait? I'm normally all for charging headfirst, but even I can see that's a bad idea." Yang's gaze never turned away, watching for any twitch, motion, _something_. She didn't dare make the first move, for fear of giving some sort of opening she didn't notice. At least, she wouldn't do it without a plan. Judging by her partner's actions, Blake came to the same conclusion.

 _I've never seen anything like this._ Blake repeated her last thoughts as she tried to gauge the enemy. Unlike Yang, she was Faunus with a questionable past, which allowed her to perceive Aura to a far greater degree, and the fact that the man's aura moved in precise motions scared her. Not only that, the motions were precise and irrational, following neither his body nor any natural flow of life she'd seen before. "We should stay on the defensive. The teachers must've noticed something was wrong. We just need to pray that no one else arr-"

And that's when the sound of a giant, masked raven tore through the sky. The interruption was sudden, and immediately followed by a certain crimson-clad teenager as she fell from some ungodly height. The girl's screams were barely coherent save for a panicked " **HEEEAAADS UUUP!** ", the words drawn out almost comically as her flight path continued onward and downward. Blake and Yang suddenly gave each other a confused look, and even the man before them flinched for a moment, as everyone's eyes were on the red girl's descent. All parties present couldn't help but ask if they should do something to help.

And that's when the sound of a young, armoured teenager tore through the sky. The interruption was equally sudden, and accompanied by a different sort of incoherent screaming. However, unlike red riding hood's voice, this boy's voice was a simple panicked " **AAAAHHHHHH** ". This young man's flight path was, curiously, perpendicular to the red girl's path, and inexplicably just as fast. As each celestial body minded their own business, they intersected beautifully, silencing the screams in one unified sound of crumpled people, skidding towards an unoffending tree. The sound of splinters and faint yelps of pain signaled the end of their flight.

And that's when the sound of a pained bear monster tore through the trees. The interruption was... expected, now that everything's been given time to sink in. This scream was short lived, as the masked bear promptly collapsed, likely from fatigue as much as physical trauma. A singsong voice sounded out from the back of the bear's unconscious body, as a pink-clad girl with a giant hammer playfully skipped off of the beast. This humming was accompanied by the tired panting of another teenager, a young man who seemed to have been chasing this all-natural train wreck. Both the huntsman and huntress noticed Yang and Blake's bewildered stance, so obviously, they casually sauntered up to the two huntresses.

"Look Ren! Stuff! Hey! What's going on here?" The chipper voice of the pink girl was... Chipper. There really was no other way to describe her.

"Nora! Can you... Please.. promise to not do that... Again?" Ren's own voice was in stark contrast to his friend's, and there was a pall of silence as he slowly began to catch his breath.

And that's when the sound of a giant scorpion monster-

* * *

-was shot with swirling bolts of ice. Tens of bolts of ice. **Twice** _._

So twenties of bolts of ice.

The Scholar was tired. He didn't even care what happened to the stupid scorpion or the stupid girl it was stupidly chasing. Honestly, whatever revulsion or confusion or whatever emotion he felt earlier was completely washed away by exhaustion. He wasn't even _AWARE_ heroes could feel exhausted, what with their constant fighting and walking and casting, but _HERE WE ARE_. Without another word, he completely dropped his stance and just sat down. He gave a long, hard look to the two girls he was initially at odds with, and even they could tell his expression was one of resignation.

And that's when the sound of a white-clad teenager tore through the skies, mirroring her red friend's descent.

"I don't even care anymore." The Scholar decided to test whether he could nap as well.


	3. A Forest Encounter (2)

**Chapter 3**  
 **A Forest Encounter (2)**

* * *

"Sooo... who's the guy with the poofy outfit?" Nora was the first to break the silence, her tone and posture as nonchalant as any other day of the week. Well, technically, the armoured teenage boy failing to catch the falling white lady was what broke the silence first. And then it was the sound of the scorpion-chase-victim collapsing behind the group that broke the second blurb of silence after that. BUT Nora's words were what actually got everyone's attention. "I don't think he was at the assembly thing, was he?" She threw a curious look at Blake and Yang. After all, everyone else was too busy trying to catch their breath to notice.

"Haaah..." Yang was the first to respond with a tired sigh, the last few minutes filling her with irritation rather than dread. "I don't even know, you know? We thought he was a student who got here first, but didn't recognize him either." Even though she was calming down, Yang still kept her safety off, as she could feel the twisting aura surrounding the odd man. And judging by the look that was slowly crawling on Ren's face, he was catching on as well. "All I can tell you is that he's suspicious. And probably more than a little hostile, considering his first reaction when we tried to greet him!"

Blake simply nodded, her opinions mirroring her new partner's. "He was already examining the place by the time we arrived at the ruins. Yang tried to talk to him, and then he just... changed." She wasn't too sure how else to describe it, as the man was really was nothing like she had seen before. And Blake Belladonna had seen a lot of things she wasn't proud of. "It was unsettling."

"And he did this weird voice thing, too. I don't know whether it was on purpose or if he's just got some speech problem, but..." Yang's voice trailed off for a moment, before suddenly turning back to the girl in red, another thought taking priority. "But nothing! Ruby! What exactly was that?" Not even Yang was sure if she was scolding or praising her younger sister. As if to make a point, Yang waved her arm towards the sky. And as if on cue, the giant raven monster made a shrill cry, seemingly content with circling around some distant broken pillar. Odd that it actually hasn't attacked yet.

"I swear I didn't mean to hit Jaune on the way down! A-and sorry Weiss! But I did say to jump!" Ruby instinctively winced, waiting for Weiss' biting response, barely able to look at her direction.

"And **I** said it was a bad idea in the first place! What would possess you to even think that riding around on a giant grimm is anything but foolish?" The white lady crossed her arms, turning her nose up to the air as she gave a slight "Hmmph!". That expression soon faded to one of confusion and disbelief however, when she actually took the time to look around. "Wait... Did it actually work?" She honestly wasn't sure whether to be surprised or angry that it went so... smoothly.

"Yeah, isn't it great! I didn't think it would ei-..." Before Ruby could get another word in, the sound of a very angry scorpion monster gave everyone a harsh reminder of their current predicament. Oh, and it looked like the giant masked bird was no longer content with idling around, as it made its way back to the group as well.

"It's coming back around this way!" Yang shouted out the warning, mainly for Jaune's benefit as she watched a certain female gladiator pull the teen to his feet. "Get ready! This is going to be bad!" The blonde bombshell couldn't help but wonder how their little group, exhausted from everything the day already threw at them, could deal with the scorpion thing. She really hoped that someone wouldn't get injured too badly in the upcoming battle.

"Don't worry! I'll take care of it!"

And with the sound of her little sister rushing forth, Yang no longer thought about anything else. Instead, her instincts told her to chase Ruby down, and she tried with all her might to catch that red blur.

* * *

The conversations around the Scholar were markedly less entertaining than he expected. Perhaps it was just their appearance that were lowering his guard, but the man had expected something far worse to happen when more of these people showed up. Things showed up? He honest didn't know what to think of them. They were certainly more lively than any locals he's helped before, but they were also different. The red newcomer was petite, but carried a massive scythe. Was it supposed to be a Lord Knight or something? That light dress and thin blade probably means that the girl-in-white was a sage? The pink one had a massive hammer, so was she a Whitesmith? And the black haired boy who-

 _'You know what? Nevermind.'_ Honestly, he couldn't muster the energy to even try to draw parallels anymore, which was a first because he'd never really felt mentally exhausted before. Out of curiosity, he decided to Sense what sort of details he could glean from the lady in white and the one in red. They seemed closest with the two monsters from earlier, so they should be comparable, right? They're lining up for something or another anyways, so might as well.

As expected, Sense broke on the white one. Her elemental property was ice, and was about the only standard thing he could read. Like all the others, her spirit bled out from its physical core, mixing and weaving unnaturally with the body. Impurities also filtered in from somewhere on her person, as the faint wisps of spiritual power formed coarse, grainy, intricate spell circles. As expected, he had absolutely no idea why a Soul would dissociate to such a degree, nor why the glyphs seemed to flicker between magical wirings and a bisected silhouette of the girl. At least she didn't give him a headache the same way the Yellow and Black girls did. How about the red one?

 _'Aaaand there's the headache.'_ He had no words. Her elemental property was supposedly normal, which the Scholar was certain was a barefaced lie. The red girl's spirit swirled freely around her form, congregating closest to her back, before flowing into her once more. The problem? Her spirit was entirely in the form of FLOWER PETALS. Red pedals that were supposedly representative of her soul surrounded her outer form, darting impossibly fast around her. Occasionally, he'd see the odd white petal, but that was as nonsensical to him as everything else. There was probably more to her spirit than petals, but whatever. Honestly, this didn't help his growing migraine.

"And neither does all that yelling!" He glared at the source, wondering why the blonde girl was screeching incomprehensibly again. He had had enough with all the various voices mixing together, and their broken noises were as indecipherable as the screeches of the... giant monsters.

Finally snapping out of his pointless thoughts, the Scholar rose to his feet, only to watch the red girl dash headfirst at the enraged scorpion monster, with the blonde one trailing behind. An avian screech turned his attention upwards, giving him just enough time to watch as a burst of giant, bladed feathers embedded themselves in him where he stood. His agility meant that a few missed, but a surprising number hit him. Which was odd, since he was certain he was well above average, in terms of evasion. Why was he still hit? Well, there was time to think about that later; for now, he'll use some of the potions he brought along. Quickly downing a flask of white potion, he turned back to the situation at hand.

 _'Okay, so the teenagers might be hostile, but those giant animals definitely are hostile.'_ It was a simple thought, and he immediately began collecting magical energy, firing bolts of ice up at the massive bird. To his surprise, the magic attack missed, something that never happened before. However, the raven gave him no time to dwell on the subject, as he watched another rain of razor feathers descend, this time with intent to skewer the yellow girl. _'They're hostile to each other?'_ He was probably supposed to realize that when the scorpion was chasing the ... female knight, let's say. Not the scythe one, the one with the shield and-

Rifle. Right. Stop drawing parallels.

A loud cry sounded out as his attention turned back to the scorpion. The red one was... moving out of the way of various attacks. Her motions were natural, ducking and weaving away from the monster's claws, and the Scholar was filled with dissonance, wondering why he ever thought standing still constituted as evading. However, that line of thought ended as he watched the girl take a solid hit. She was about to take another before the white girl intervened, dashing forward as she parried the finishing blow with a bloom of pure ice. _'I don't recognize that spell... Or a lot of things, it seems.'_ Regardless, it seemed like the two had it covered, so he could take the time to focus on the annoying bird. More of his spiritual power turned to ice, before shooting off into the sky. At least he had no shortage of frost bolts.

* * *

"You are so childish!"

The voice was a surprise. She was certain that would've been the end of her. She felt the chill in the air, heard the crackling of ice, and as she finally allowed herself to look up, she saw the Deathstalker's stinger locked inside a prison of ice. Ruby's voice was full of confusion and wonder as she tried to speak back to her benefactor. "... Weiss?"

"And dimwitted. And hyperactive. And don't even get me started on your fighting style." Weiss slowly rose to her feet, pausing for a moment as he gaze shifted between Ruby and somewhere off to the side. Her words had no edge as she spoke once more. "And I suppose I can be a bit... difficult. But if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together." Her gaze fell on Ruby once more. She wasn't sure when she felt the change of heart, or how Ruby grew on her in such a short amount of time, but Weiss clearly stated her intentions. "So if you quit trying to show off, I'll be... nicer."

Doubt filled Ruby's mind as she looked back up at Weiss, but she knew that her... partner's words had to be met with in kind. "I'm not trying to show off. I want you to know that I can do this..."

"You're fine." Weiss' voice and expression were completely sincere as she gazed at Ruby, watching her collect herself before finally walking back to the group. Then she noticed something. "... Wait, who is that?"

The questioning tone snapped Ruby out of her mood, and she quickly clamoured up to her feet, following Weiss' gaze as both teenagers stared at the odd sight, well beyond the group. Their friends were taking cover behind some old stonework, occasionally shooting off bullets and grenades to ward away the Nevermore. However, what drew the two girls' attention was the man standing at the center of the ruins in a very silly outfit. And the most attention-grabbing feature? The sheer amount of frost bolts that shot up into the sky, tracking and repelling the Giant Nevermore that circled around the ruins.

"I dunno, but isn't that cool? I didn't know there was someone with a semblance like that!" Ruby turned to Weiss, already forgetting her previous blunder as they ran back to the group, still having a mind to take cover.

"Seriously, what's going on here?" Weiss gave a look to Yang and Blake. Blake aimed her shots, each bullet hitting its mark, in stark contrast to the sheer number of bolts that missed the monster. Yang's own shots tore through the sky, occasionally overlapping with one of the many frost bolts, passing through the ice harmlessly before striking the Nevermore. Blake finally turned back into cover, just in time to avoid another barrage of feathers, turning to Weiss to fill her in.

"The guy who nearly attacked Yang and I over there decided to attack the Nevermore." Blake shot a hesitant look towards the man before slipping back into cover. It was clear that she trusted him as much as she did the grimm.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Weiss noticed that their particular choice of cover protected them from the giant bird as well as it did the crazy frost huntsman, and she immediately followed suit, crouching down beside Blake. "And Ruby, get down here!"

However, Ruby was too enamored with the sight in front of her. She merely thought the man was an expert huntsman, probably a teacher here to help with the test, since it probably got too dangerous. She watched as a cascade of ice tore through the air, striking against the Nevermore in a terrible blizzard, forcing the Grimm finally retreated. With the threat gone, Ruby was stuck in silent awe for a few moments longer, before she could no longer hold back. Without warning, Ruby bounded out of cover, her voice echoed out, loud enough for even the Deathstalker to hear her. "YEAH! WOO! YOU GO!" She even flickered into her inexplicable chibi form for a moment, her hand brought up high, proudly displaying a peace sign for... some cheering reason.

And then she stopped. Her sudden outburst was met with an explosion of ice, and no one could react fast enough to stop them. The red hooded girl fell to the ground, aura spent and impaled with icicles. Everyone was silent as they turned to face the man, his words the same grim noise that no one could understand. And that's when they finally noticed his aura raging rampantly.

"Gj uc... Hhrl fpr T jlkv..."


	4. A Forest Encounter (3)

**Chapter 4**  
 **A Forest Encounter (3)**

* * *

 _'Frost bolt, giant bird. Frost bolt, giant bird. Blue Potion. Double bolt. Frost bolt, giant STUPID BIRD'_

Waves of frost arced through the air, countless icicles trying to strike down the giant raven thing. However, Scholar's mood deteriorated with each bolt that whizzed passed the monster. He couldn't understand why things were so different. He was going through the same motions, targeting and executing, and yet the monster slipped through his attacks. If it weren't for the creature's massive bulk, the young man was certain he would've hit absolutely nothing. He had to find some way to increase his damage output, so that the few times he'd hit would make the flying turkey regret it.

There was one skill he had which could give such an increase, but it could only target enemies. Known as "Mind break", it stripped away an enemy's magic resistance, as well as a fair bit of their reason, by "igniting" their spiritual power. It left them mentally and magically vulnerable, but increased their spirit's raw damage potency. However, such a skill was impossible to target allies with and he knew this the same way he knew all the other bits of information. All the other blurbs of information that had been wrong, damnit. Evasion was supposed to passively increase an opponent's chance to miss, Sense was supposed to ALWAYS give accurate information, and that MAGIC WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO MISS.

In addition to the other things he'd felt today, the Scholar was feeling frustration for the first time as well. He didn't even bother questioning whether the skill would do what it was supposed to.

Without thinking, he immediately cast Mind Break on himself, feeling his spirit twist and pull away, igniting wildly within him. _'Strange. Isn't it supposed to provoke me too? Stress my reasoning and thought process? And did I really just cast it on myself?'_ Perhaps paradoxically, the skill used for taunting cleared his thoughts, and the Scholar began... questioning things. _'Just how much is wrong here?'_ The immutable truths he knew from Rune-Midgard were all cast away in this world that the Dimensional Gap had dropped him off at.

He tried to fiddle with his frost bolts, wondering if they had any rules that could be broken. Number had always been variable, with less bolts taking less time to prepare. However, both size and shape were fixed, as his spirit focused merely into preset templates. No time to fiddle with that at the moment, so he gave up. Instead, he tried aiming just ahead of the bird. Maybe magic could miss, at least in this odd world. He confirmed his target one last time, and the bolt of ice flew off, striking at the soft spot below the raven's wing. Another first experience: aiming, and being able to hit the thing.

 _'This will work just nicely.'_ At that thought, he resumed his wave of frost bolts, this time pelting at wing and body of the bird monster. He wasn't nearly dexterous enough to land all shots, but a 60% hit rate was far better than 5% from before, given the amount of ice he chucked. And it seemed his opponent agreed, as the beast finally changed its flight path, choosing to find a less Scholar-enforced air space. As strange quiet settled, he began going over what he learned. _'So just having good reflexes isn't enough. I need to use them. Sounds so obvious now, really... So why did I think otherwise?'_

Closing his eyes, the Scholar decided to try out his reflexes. Logically, he'd have to have an understanding of his body, so his focus turned from the outside world to himself. It was hardly meditation, since he was no Monk, but it helped him puzzle out a few things ab-

"PYBF! NIP! WFO HM!" The sudden screech of noise snapped him out of his thoughts. However, he understood his reflexes a bit more, and was ready for the scorpion monster that was undoubtedly charging at him. Ice bolts would take too long to manifest completely, so he didn't try. About three bolts were all he could muster in this short a window, and thus they flew towards the source of the noise.

That's when the Scholar noticed his target was the red girl. The bolts exploded against her in succession, tearing away her meager defenses before impaling her with a spear of ice.

What struck him the most was the gesture she was doing right when the spell struck her. After all, it was one he had seen many times in the past. While not identical, his party would often shout out such gestures above their head after hard battles. Peace, high five, fist pump... It didn't matter if his memory told him they were expressed through floating chat boxes, the sentiment was all the same. The expression of pain and surprise that was plastered on the red girl's showed that she wanted to ask him why, but her body wavered as she looked downwards, a shard of ice embedded in her chest. And then she fell over.

"Oh no... What did I just..."

Before he could finish those words, streaks of purple energy shot through the air, striking him where he stood. He definitely recognized the need to move in order to avoid getting hurt, so the man dove behind some rubble, taking refuge in the broken ruins.

* * *

The students looked up at the source of the attack that just bombarded that monster, their pale face showing just a bit of relief as they saw a Bullhead in the horizon. Rather than see, they could hear the voice of a familiar female teacher as she let forth another salvo of violet energy. "Protect Miss Rose! We'll be there soon!" Her voice was strained as she willed the vehicle to go faster. She already knew that it took all of Ozpin and Oobleck's piloting skills to reach this far in this short a time. The headmaster's reckless flying were corrected perfectly with Bartholomew's copiloting, and yet, even that wasn't enough.

Yang wanted to sprint to the spot in the ruins where the man disappeared. She wanted to return the pain that the monster inflicted on her sister three times over. She wanted to turn everything there to rubble. But even more importantly, she wanted her sister to be safe. "Jaune, get over here and help me! Everyone else, try to keep it off of us!" Her voice was strained, and everyone could hear it, but no one dawdled as they went to their roles. The blonde woman's face blanched as she felt how cold Ruby was. They couldn't move Ruby while she was in this condition, but having her out in the open was even worse. Yang took off her jacket, trying to use it as a makeshift stretcher of sorts. There was ice in her, and the blood and they tried to be careful, _oh god_ they tried to be careful.

Weiss approached the two, her face heavy as she looked down at Ruby. Biting back her anger, she tried to focus instead on helping her partner, rather than blowing up the ruins. She gathered her aura, focusing outwards to draw a glyph, aided by dust of elemental wind. The glyph had no meaning behind it, and was nothing more than a stable platform, but that was exactly what Ruby needed right now. "Put her on this... It'll be easier on her."

Glynda unleashed another attack, trying to suppress her enemy, keeping it pinned down behind the ruins. She knew something of this caliber was not enough to defeat it, but she would do her damnest to keep it at bay until they got close enough for Oobleck to come out and help. But for now, they needed to hurry, and she aimed another burst of energy at the ruins.

Pyrrha's shield was raised, ready for any sort of counter attack. She wouldn't let him get away with another shot. Propping up her rifle, she scanned the ruins, watching as another burst of Glynda's missiles came down, kicking up dust and smoke. She allowed herself a moment to check her allies. Ren and Blake stood ready, their eyes looking for any movement, gun sights checking for any sort of movement, while Nora kept her grenade launcher on standby. Yang and Weiss were slowly moving Ruby, and it looked like they were being led to a collapsed archway of some kind. Blake was further ahead, scouting from a different angle to make sure their enemy didn't approach from a different angle. Jaune had caught up with her, and now the two shieldbearers were fulfilling their job. They looked like they were ready for anything.

And yet, they couldn't help but be caught off guard as pillars of pink light shot up off ground. Neither the students nor the staff knew what these things were, but they kept their distance, ready for anything. Almost to match their unease, a dark fog bled out from nothing, slowly beginning to envelop the students.

Glynda growled as she spotted the mist, covering the area where the students were. And only that area. They had made some progress, and the spot they settled behind was as good as any, but they still needed all the help they could get. She invoked her telekinesis once more, hoping to disperse the mist only to realize that it was made of pure... aura? No, not quite. Regardless, she couldn't dispel it. With great difficulty, she finally stayed her hand. It was obvious that the strange fog belonged to their enemy, and if couldn't be dispelled, then she'd have to make sure he didn't have a chance to use it.

If he reached the fog, there would be no way for her to help the students without risking them as well. She realized this action was deliberate, and Glynda could only clench her fists.

The Bullhead was close enough for Oobleck to help support Glynda, and as he climbed to the side of the craft, he caught sight of the field. He knew exactly what his colleague's thoughts were, and he could only grit his teeth as his eyes fell to the impossibly shaped square of fog, coming to the same conclusion as her.

Yet, for all it was worth, their anger paled in comparison to Ozpin's.

* * *

The Scholar was a support scholar. This meant that he was the one who needed all the gemstones and elemental stones that the biochemists carted into battle. Sure, his bolt spells weren't as strong as dedicated combat scholars, but at the moment, he was thankful for that. _'Damnit, where is it?'_ Barely half a minute had elapsed since he was forced behind the ruins, and he had gathered almost everything he needed. Thankfully, said chemists had plenty of supplies for someone in his position. A dozen blue gemstones, an awakening potion, a bottle of Anodyne, white potions... Even fly wings. Hopefully, the awakening potion would be enough to improve his reflexes. The Anodyne would help him ignore anything he'd be unable to dodge, and the white potions would help heal everything he ignored. And these fly wings were from Rune Midgard; when crushed, they'd whisk the user away to some random spot. Not quite far, but not nearby either. He just hoped they would do the same for him here.

But he needed three more items before he could start moving, and judging by the increasing magic salvos, he was definitely pressed for time. The Scholar could hear something in the skies grow closer with each passing moment, which only further supported his claim. Risking a peek from his cover, he made a mental note of where the teenagers stood, as well as a giant metal thing that was steadily approaching. He had no time to gawk, as another burst of purple shot from the side of the craft, forcing him back into cover.

Pulling out the final items, he could finally afford a sigh. First was the Authoritative Badge, an ancient relic of status from a long-dead city. When broken, it would imbue him with speed for 3 minutes. Hopefully, it would be enough to clear the distance. Next, he had his librarian gloves, infused with the powers of an annoying healing ant monster. Honestly, he wasn't too sure if it'd help, since he had no clue what the biology of things here were, or how their twisted spirits would affect things, but... it was his fault, so yeah. His final item was the crux of the plan: a leaf from the world tree Yggdrasil. Even in this strange world, he felt a familiar light from it. It was used to help resurrect heroes in the field, and honestly, he just hoped that it would work.

If not, then he'll just have to live with the feeling of killing an innocent little girl. Girl-shaped monster. That was just like a little girl. Today was already a bunch of other firsts, so why not?

His plan started now. With one motion, he crushed the blue gemstones, infusing them with energy as he created pillars of light, all spaced a few meters apart. _'Safety Wall'_. For just under a minute, these pillars would protect anyone inside them from physical attacks. To a limit. And he was fairly certain that limit would be exceeded by the group of angry teenagers in a matter of seconds. Next was were the two potions to ensure he was alert enough to dodge, and sluggish enough not to feel too much pain. Odd balance, really.

He had two more safety buffers. First would be his spell cancel; If he kept an eye out for anything not-bullet-related, he should be able to at least hinder any invocation. His second trick was his Blinding Mist, which surrounded an area in a magical fog. A magical fog that did not hinder his own vision in the slightest. He had thrown one earlier to keep the students suppressed, but he could maintain one more. Glancing over the ruins, one last peek told him where the teenagers had planned to put the injured girl, and he quickly began to drain his spiritual energy, conjuring a square of blinding mist, blanketing the the fallen pillar.

Now that preparations were complete, the Scholar finally gripped the Authoritative Badge.

* * *

The glyph was slow, but Yang eagerly traded speed if it meant no chance of hurting her sister. She followed behind Weiss as they slowly made their way to one of the many ruined outcroppings that dotted the area. Jaune had gone back to his partner, and together with Pyrrha, was trying to shield the group from any incoming fire. They couldn't move too quickly, and their pace slowed further as a thick, unnatural mist began to roll in. With renewed urgency, they found themselves behind a collapsed pillar, and though it was hardly ideal, it'd have to do.

Weiss gave a solemn sigh as she slowly lowered the glyph that supported Ruby behind a fallen pillar. She could only hope that it would be enough to shield her partner, at least until help arrived. When she was finally certain the young redhead was as safe as the situation allowed, she turned back to meet with the group.

"This fog isn't normal." Blake was the first speak when everyone regrouped, though everyone knew. They could only clearly see a meters in front of them, with further things a faint silhouette. "And I mean it. There's a clear border where it starts and stops." That was unexpected.

"What do you mean?" Jaune was the first to ask, confusion on his face.

"The fog seems to be centered around Ruby. Once we're far enough away from her, it clears up. And I doubt he has as much trouble seeing through this as we do." Blake looked at Yang as she said that, and knew full well that the girl would not leave her sister. "I'll stay here with Yang and watch over Ruby."

"In that case, we'll try to stop him outside of the fog." Jaune looked at Pyrrha, Ren and Nora to confirm. "Nora and I will fight him head on. Ren and Pyrrha, you two fight from a distance, and try to catch him if he slips past us." If there was one good thing to say about him, it was that Jaune didn't completely crack under pressure. Though the situation was much harder to plan for than a simple Deathstalker attack, the young Arc tried to come up with tactics all the same. He stumbled on his words a few times, but he knew he couldn't make any mistakes here. "Is that alright with everyone?"

"I'm coming too." Weiss' voice was cold as she responded to Jaune's question. She was filled with more anger than she imagined, it hurt that much more since that **bastard** did this to Ruby the moment they finally accepted each other as partners. "Let's go." She drew her rapier, the dust chambers rattling as she collected her aura, ready to activate her glyphs. As the five teenagers stepped outside of the fog, their gaze fell to the ruins, waiting.

Everyone was finally in place, and now they waited for for him to make his move.


	5. A Forest Encounter (4)

**Chapter 5**  
 **A Forest Encounter (4)**

* * *

There was no way to tell which of his abilities, if any at all, would work the way he remembered. Would he have to aim his Spell Breaker? How would the Anodyne affect his body beyond the concept of 'no flinching'? Would his Safety Walls still block physical attacks unconditionally up until some arbitrary damage number? Are potions still instantaneous heals? In fact, how did damage work?

Truthfully, these questions worried him. The Scholar had no answer, nor the time to find them out, so he could little but wonder as he waited for his opening. Peeking out from his spot within the ruins, he watched the teenagers take position, their faces clear as they stood at the edge of the fog. They were waiting for him, as was the giant metal craft that steadily drew closer. From the craft, a purple glow flickered once more, signaling the start of a new magical barrage. The Scholar complied, snapping the Authoritative Badge, the sound echoing through the forest as he felt its lingering energies seep into him.

He sped towards the first of his many Safety Walls.

Almost instantly, the man was met with a barrage of metal, gunfire sounding out from the teenagers as he sprinted forward. Whether it was because of adrenaline or because of the Anodyne potion, he felt nothing but the pressure of his body as it crossed stone tiles and verdant grass, unable to even sense the wind against him. He quickly made his way to the first Safety Wall, stepping into the first magenta pillar of many. As soon as he entered, he felt the light... attune? to him, as though it recognized him. There was no time to think on this, as two of the teenagers focused on him. While the swordsman and the pink hammer-wielder were content to let him close in, the two gunners had a different idea, as metal shot after shot collided with the light surrounding him.

Catching his breath, the scholar prepared to run once more. These walls could barely withstand 5 seconds of concentrated fire before they fell, so he had no intention of meeting them head on. He didn't even wait for the light to fall as he dashed forward, running in a straight line towards the next light. His aggressors saw that, quickly correcting their aim as metal tore into the Scholar. And yet, he felt no pain, no lightness in his step, not even any dizziness as he was left unhindered. Still, he would take no chances, and quickly consumed one of the many white potions he held in his belt.

Entering the next pillar, the Scholar decided to spend his precious seconds looking at his wounds. Nothing showed on the surface of his body. Neither blood nor shrapnel clung to him, and yet he knew that his life was waning. As with everything else he had experienced thus far, there was no reasonable explanation. His stay was short lived as he felt fire and magic impact him, ignoring the sanctuary provided by the Safety Wall. The next salvo from the craft had arrived, and the Scholar knew he would not be offered such generous reprieve any longer. Two more potions were consumed as he sped forwards, running off once more.

* * *

 _'Why did he look completely unharmed?'_ Those thoughts were on Ren's mind as he gave Pyrrha a glance, his eyes almost conveying the question. The look she returned told him that her thoughts were the same, and neither of them could do anything but accept the situation. Where Nora and Jaune might've assumed they missed, both of these two warriors knew full well their aim had been true. And yet, the man in front of them showed no signs of being hurt at all. Gunfire rang out as they emptied their guns into the enemy, watching him dash from pillar to pillar, the light almost protecting him each time he entered.

Since nearly everyone in the group was destined for Beacon, they adapted their plans instantly. "Nora! Grenades until he gets close!" Ren shouted out to Nora, eyes not leaving his target, and the sound of an explosion moments later confirmed his orders. If they could not hit him when he was hiding within the light, then Ren and Pyrrha would simply hit him when he was between them. It was a straight line between each glow, and by focusing solely on that line, the teenagers were certain their attacks hit properly.

Three pillars later, the man was still standing without any wounds, his unnatural speed just as fast as it was when he started. They weren't sure if bullets alone could stop them, and Pyrrha turned behind her, sparing a glance at Weiss. The girl was gathering her aura, glyphs slowly forming behind her as her weapon began focusing elemental dust. She was about to turn around when she noticed one Weiss' glyphs falter, vibrating ominously for a split second before shattering into nothingness. The spell's owner twitched visibly, face turning pale before focusing on reforming the glyph. There was no doubt the man before them was involved, and Pyrrha made sure she would stop him the next time he tried.

But it was Nora who broke apart the rhythm of their battle. Without warning, she dashed forward, her weapon a hammer once more as she closed the distance between herself and the coward hiding in the pink light. Her first attack was stopped by the pillar, the impact completely soundless as she tore the light apart. Without stopping, she prepared her next attack, forcing her aura to make up for the lost momentum as she struck once more, hammer striking the young man before he had a time to react. Unlike their bullets and grenades, Nora's massive hammer had a visible effect in that it knocked the man into the air, sending him away from the annoying pink lights.

And then he was bombarded by annoying purple and red lights.

Nora already knew the source was from the instructors, and spent no time following up their attack as she charged at the man. Though she was still just a teenager, her combat sense was well developed, and to her credit, she didn't even stop in confusion when she saw the target was up and running like nothing happened. Instead, she chased once more, eyes fixed on the person as he dashed towards a... "DAMNIT, STOP MAKING THOSE!" Her exasperated voice was fueled with anger and frustration, and she didn't even notice when he threw a white web down in front of her. At least, not until those webs bound her, locking her in place for 8 debilitating seconds. And in that time, she could do nothing but watch as her target escaped her.

* * *

Neither Oobleck nor Glynda stopped their efforts. Fire and magic systematically rained down on the fields below, both instructors trying to hit the enemy as he ran closer and closer to the fog that held the students. His colleagues fulfilled their task as best as they could, and it was Ozpin's job to make the most of it. Yet, he could do nothing but let the machine work, his task all but empty as he surveyed the battlefield. This was far beyond his expectations, and he knew of no hunter, current or previous, that held a semblance as destructive as the enemy's. A seemingly unending aura that ignored all attacks, countless shards of ice that could be invoked at will and even an unnatural speed that most professionals would envy.

And that was just things that affected himself. Pillars of light that ignored gunfire, mysterious fog summoned at will... Ozpin was silent as he watched a student rush forward, delaying the enemy for a few moments before being disabled herself, trapped in some unknown web. Another aspect of the enemy's semblance he knew nothing about. Her partner tried to intercept, but was obviously too slow for the assailant. Unlike the first, this student was unable to break the enemy's stride, and by all accounts, the student was lucky he wasn't cut down where he stood.

He paused. _'Why is that?'_ From what he knew and saw, the enemy before them seemed to possess enough power to just that. Their opponent was strong enough to survive a blow from Ms. Valkyrie's hammer without paying heed, and gave her no second mind after she was trapped. Likewise, he made no effort to even suppress the second student, bypassing Mr. Arc entirely. The more he thought about it, the less sense it made.

The fog alone would've been enough to stop the students from engaging at range. Was that a limitation? Even then, the amount of ice he saw as the enemy repelled the Nevermore rivaled that of an entire squad, and could've easily stopped the students from firing at all. As well as this craft. And yet, through it all, he had shown no signs of doing anything but rush to Ms. Rose's precarious position. Did they have some history? Or was there some other reason?

* * *

"What's going on?!" Weiss was frustrated, angry, and tired. Each time she tried to focus her glyphs, they would unravel at the seems, aura bleeding out before collapsing on itself. For the third time, she prepared her spell, hoping to assist Nora or Pyrrha or even Jaune in some way. And yet, for the third time, it shattered with no reason, leaving her drained as she tried to catch her breath.

Pyrrha heard her exhaustion, and left Ren for a moment, approaching the tired lady in white. "Don't strain yourself... He's doing something to disrupt your aura." Pyrrha wasn't sure if those words were the best to use, but it would be better if the girl in front of her didn't lose faith. Morale was always a deciding factor, and she could see the stress building up inside Weiss. "Ren and I will hold him back here. Go and warn the others, in case something happens." It was certainly the most prudent choice, given how quickly Nora fell. Jaune didn't last much better, and Pyrrha wasn't sure if their line could hold.

Unable to do anything else, Weiss just nodded, watching the girl in front of her turn back face that monster. Her gaze sharpened for a moment as she focused on the murderer who drew closer. She knew that it was his fault, that it was him disrupting her glyphs each time she drew them, casting them aside with a wave of his arm or something. It was definitely his fault.

So why was she angry at herself? Was she so weak that a wave was all it took to interrupt her? Was she that useless? She had thought that she had some strength; She protected Ruby from the Deathstalker earlier, and both girls were able to reach the ruins in the first place through their power alone. All the time she had spent by herself made her strong, all the lessons and techniques and scars ingrained into her were proof of that. _'So why? Why can't I do anything to help?'_ She forced back the rest of her thoughts, ignoring the pressure in her chest as she quickly turned back to the fog. _'Everyone must think I'm useless.'_ She couldn't help protect Ruby, she couldn't support the battle, and it looked like she couldn't even help delay him for one minute.

But now was not the time for self pity. She had enough pride to swallow it, and ran back to the fog. With her voice almost breaking, the young woman shouted into the darkness, hoping to at least warn them in some way. "...Watch out! He's breaking through!" She couldn't say anything else, couldn't even convey how the first group fell or how the second one would probably follow. There were no words to show how far outclassed they were, as the murderer shrugged off bullets, Nora's hammer, even the instructors' attacks without a second thought. She knew there was nothing she could do, that they would all probably be in the same state as Ruby before the teachers got here.

 _'So what?'_ Whether it was her pride or her anger, or even Ruby's overbearing attitude, Weiss did not allow herself to give up. If nothing else, she had already declared herself as Ruby's partner, and pride alone decreed not to stop fighting. And at the same time, she knew it was not pride alone that drove her. Something small had taken root inside her, a feeling she had not felt until she arrived at Beacon. That feeling was strange, new, and at the same time, it was a part of her. A part that, for once, she was not ashamed of.

And so, she ran onward, vowing to help them all one last time.

* * *

Two more teenagers stood in his way. One had the dexterity to keep him in motion, and the other had the endurance to keep up with him, to block his path. Simply running would do no good, and he could not afford to continue taking damage. He hadn't expected these teenagers to be able to use gunslinger spheres, the Safety Walls doing nothing to block the elemental damage. Coupled with the salvos from the sky, the Scholar had been taking damage at an alarming rate. The encounter with the hammer user didn't help, and now he was forced to make use of blue potions and the Heal skill his gloves lent him.

Shattering another gemstone, the Scholar dropped a Safety Wall on his feet, blocking a shield charge from the warrior. He had expected the wall to stop more than just her first attack, but it stopped her motions all the same, and he quickly sped off at a different angle, unsure of his options. Unlike the hammer wielder from before, the spear maiden knew enough to avoid his Fiber Lock, as each spell only changed her heading before she dashed at him once more. The approaching craft in the sky told him his time was short, and he was running out of tricks. He could hear the shrill voice of his assailant yelling at him, as incomprehensible as all the rest, her words the same metallic garble of gibberish that he'd heard from all of them.

"Ysjk nikc lg hns qliyecbvi! De lme'k sei wfl nei ynrf!" It was easy to ignore, but he half wished that he could've understood their twisted language. It would've stopped this from playing out, at least.

Still, he was not out of options just yet. Another Safety Wall was dropped at his feet, and he quickly drew a red gemstone from his pouch, as well as a few more blue ones for good measure. He didn't want to use this skill, since it would cause more troubles down the line, but there was little choice. Using the red gemstone as a catalyst, he focused his magic on the girl. It took a few moments of running and avoiding gunfire, but he was finally able to invoke the Stone Curse, burning away the gemstone in the process. Within moments, her pace slowed, as the petrifying effects of the spell began to take hold.

He didn't want to do this, since the spell would also drain away her health, and the last thing he wanted to do was incur even more hostility. But he had to escape from this deadlock, and the petrification spell would do just that. As her form darkened, he heard the gunfire stop, her partner no doubt running to try and help with whatever affliction had taken the girl. This was more than enough time to run away, and the status could easily be reversed once they realized that any sort of damaging hit could break the curse. Whatever damaging meant.

As he dashed towards the fog, he spared one last glance at the figure, before an odd realization hit him. _'The spell was incomplete.'_ Even now, the only thing that changed were the girl's movements, growing heavier and heavier. Something in his mind told him that the spell was completed, that he had cast it properly and that the catalyst was consumed. Everything else told him that the effect was far weaker than it should've been, that the catalyst wasn't enough. Instead, he was certain the target would be able to shake off his spell in a matter of minutes. The voice that sounded out afterwards only confirmed his thoughts.

"LYKTO OJR! YV'Z AAKFJA TWCIV!"

Rather than question why, he turned back to the fog, his eyes falling on the three girls that awaited him.


	6. A Forest Encounter (5)

**Chapter 6**  
 **A Forest Encounter (5)**

* * *

The Grimm are said to be drawn to negative emotions. Rage, envy, sorrow, desperation ... All these emotions light up like a beacon for the Grimm, drawing them from wherever they lurk. The younger ones follow their instinct, fueled only by the desire for destruction, while the older elder grimm bidetheir time. Both seek to destroy humanity for unknown reasons, and neither view their lives of importance; The older ones merely view dying early as inefficient. So it's no surprise that, in the grimm-infested lands of the Emerald Forest, the howls of these monsters suddenly echoed through the woods.

After all, this twisted conflict between children had an abundance of such emotions. Was it really surprising that now, in the final moments of humans' battle, the Grimm finally acted?

It might've been a surprise for the students still taking the tests, but the staff from beacon had been mobilized before hand. Stray students removed from the ruins were not easy pickings, and as a result, few grimm chose those targets. Instead, a growing tide of ivory and black slowly began to converge on the forgotten ruins.

* * *

"WATCH OUT! HE'S ALMOST THERE!"

Yang, Blake, and Weiss stood their ground, glaring at the suffocating darkness. Though their vision was impaired, they could hear Pyrrha's warnings just fine. _'We all kind of guessed that...'_ It was a depressing thought, but one that lingered on the edge of everyone's minds. They knew things weren't going well the moment gunfire stopped, and the three girls could only imagine what happened to their friends outside of this fog. And the telltale cry of Grimm, a twisted sound that echoed from the woods beyond, hammered at their resolve.

"Why is this guy so HELL BENT on attacking us? Hasn't he done enough?!" Yang's voice was a furious as she echoed her thoughts. A part of her just wanted the man to answer her question in some way... The rest of her wanted to break him until he was incapable of answering. Either way, they could do little but wait, and after that outburst, Yang quieted herself. She couldn't rely on her eyes for this next battle, since the fog stuck to Ruby for some reason, and there'd be no way in hell that she'd leave her sister's side. Instead, she closed her eyes, trying to temper her anger. This fog was already annoying to fight in, and getting frustrated would only make it worse.

Blake was just as worried as everyone else. Who wouldn't be? This was a disaster worse than anything she could remember, and none of her past experiences really compared. No amount of crisis management could make up for everything they'd gone through today, and judging by the sounds around her, the faunus knew things would only get worse. "I doubt we'll ever know his reasons, but that doesn't matter." She turned her gaze from the black fog to her companions, her eyes resolved to see this battle to its end. "All we can do now is fight, and hope the instructors reach us in time." Her eyes lingered a bit on Weiss, but her mind urged her onward, and Blake turned her attention to her weapons instead.

A sigh and a nod was how Weiss answered, still drained from her previous attempts at fighting the unknown man. The lady in white was still shaken by her uselessness, but suppressed those emotions as she turned to the fallen form of Ruby. Her skin was pale, drained of all colour, and the deadly icicle that had taken her consciousness was still lodged in her stomach. Thankfully, the unnatural cold helped to stem the bleeding, but it was clear that the red girl was on borrowed time. Every so often, the foreboding silence would be broken by pained shivers, with her short, halting breath the only indication that she still lived.

With a forced breath, Weiss tore her vision away from her partner, gazing back to the oppressive fog. Through sheer discipline, she willed herself to calm down, slowly gathering her dust and aura. There would be no time to risk lengthy glyphs, and this moment of clarity gave her a chance to question herself, wondering why she tried them in the first place. Taking her place among the other two, Weiss stood ready, waiting for the coming storm.

* * *

The Scholar knew it would be suicide to engage the three in melee combat. His newly awoken reflexes meant little to three opponents, and if their weapons were any indication, they were far more accustomed to close quarters. Yet, he had no choice. The pink girl was likely free by now, and it would only be a matter of time before the spearwoman was free. The four opponents he left behind join the battle before long, assuming the metal craft didn't first. Sparing a moment to look up, he could already see two imposing figures standing near the open sides of the metal vehicle, bracing themselves for their descent jump. He had no time left.

And yet, based on how quickly he saw the red girl crumple, he was certain that he couldn't use his spells without harming the rest of them. Instead, he'll just have to focus on defense, and hope for the best. He wrapped his body in an Energy Coat, his spiritual power partially shielding him as the Scholar decided to take took out a few more red gemstones. If Stone Curse truly was weaker now, he had less reservations about using it... But why was it weaker?

He began circling around the fog, trying to find an opening while part of his thoughts stewed on the matter. His Safety Walls seemed to have weakened as well, but his other skills seemed the same... Was it just spells that need a catalyst that weakened? Or maybe the catalysts themselves?

Another roar echoed from the woods. He ignored the first one, but this next roar sounded far closer. Far louder, as if more voices had joined in the ear-wracking chorus. He stopped for just a moment, tearing his eyes away from the fog as he turned his gaze to the distant woods. Hundreds of monsters returned his gaze. Massive bears, countless werewolves, those boar things all glared back at him, with the occasional giant scorpion towering over the smaller groups. The situation had changed, and he knew they couldn't afford conflict now.

Just as soon as it had formed, the Scholar dispelled his energy coat, knowing full well he'd need every ounce of spiritual power. He drafted a rudimentary plan as he wreathed himself in magic. First was Double Bolt, a familiar spell that would help him suppress the insane numbers. Next was Memorize, which forced the spiritual power inside him to accelerate; It would only be for the next five spells, but this ability cut their invocation time in half, and every edge was needed. Finally, he imbued himself with Hindsight once more, linking his weapon with his Ice Bolts, his book gleaming with energy.

Still, the Scholar knew that coming battle would rely completely on how the teenagers reacted, so he tried to plan accordingly.

The Blinding Mist that surrounded the teenage girls fell immediately, and a familiar magenta pillar was cast upon the wounded red girl. Whether his actions were recognized or not was of little consequence, as he immediately stopped. Channeling his spiritual power, countless orbs of ice began to form, shooting off towards the edge of the woods, signalling the start of today's last battle.

* * *

"Hold your fire!" Ozpin's voice was sharp as he yelled from the cockpit. He had full view of the battlefield, and his opinion was swayed when he saw the fog around his students break away. The sight of a pink light wrapping around the critically injured student changed it changed completely, and he immediately began relaying new orders. "Bartholomew, cover the injured student. Glynda, cover the man."

Both teachers paused for just a moment, not understanding why the headmaster stopped them. However, they were disciplined Huntsman before all else, and immediately complied. To their credit, the disappearance of the fog, as well as the magenta pillar around the injured student, quickly explained half of Ozpin's reasoning; the sight of hundreds of grimm congregating at the forest below explained the other half.

Violet orbs of energy immediately began bombarding the forest, felling trees and thinning beowolves as Glynda focused her aura. Countless projectiles rained onto the roving horde, striking and stunning them before shards of ice finished them off. The teacher turned towards the direction of the students, her voice carrying far into the ruins below.

"Grimm are approaching! Change your targets!" She didn't know if those words alone were enough, which is why she followed up with another magical salvo, revealing the grimm to the students below. After a sweeping burst, she began focusing her attacks, as swirling orbs of power converged on one of the Deathstalkers, halting it in its tracks for just a moment as it used its giant claws to shield itself.

* * *

"Wait, what happened?" Yang was the first one to voice her confusion as the fog disappeared. Her attention quickly turned back to Ruby, fearing the worst before she noticed a strange pink light. "What the hell is that?" Even before she finished her sentence, she was by Ruby's side, worried about the pillar that encircled the fallen girl as she looked up at Weiss and Blake with a panicked voice. "Do you two know what this is?"

"That... That's what he used to..." Weiss was the first to answer, more in disbelief than anything else. Of course she knew what it was, since she saw similar pillars block Ren and Pyrrha's bullets; even Nora's hammer was stopped by the strange semblance. "To stop our attacks." The teenager swallowed, looking around to try and spot the man from earlier, only to see him rushing headfirst into the distant forest with countless bolts of ice trailing behind him, shooting forward into the... "There's grimm!" Urgency filled her voice as she pointed beyond the man.

Glynda's voice echoed above them to confirm Weiss's words, only adding to the confusion.

"So what, now he's decided to help us again?!" The blonde teenager had almost reached her limit, no longer able to follow the flow of battle. She stood up from beside her sister, easing into a combat stance as she turned to face the spot where the man had stopped, about twenty meters away from them. She narrowed her eyes, holding back the urge to fire her Ember Celica at him. "Whatever, I'm keeping an eye on him. If we're lucky, the grimm will get him first." Yang was way past caring, and turned back to her partner. "So what's the plan?"

"We stay here and protect your sister." Blake's voice was firm as she responded. "We're still waiting for the Bullhead, so nothing's changed." She changed Gambol Shroud to its gun form, quickly taking aim as her eyes focused on a distant boarbatusk, firing off a few shots to deter its charge. "If anything comes our way, we stop it. How is everyone else?" She threw a quick glance back to the ruins, watching the rest of the students gather themselves. Pyrrha and Jaune were cautiously towards them, and she noticed Nora and Ren glaring at the man. Not that she could blame them. "Looks like they're okay."

"What exactly is he thinking?" Nothing could stop Weiss from shouting out her question. Just what sort of motivations did that man have that he'd go from attacking the Nevermore to nearly murdering Ruby? And now he's decided to help again? "Just who the hell does he think he is?!" She clenched her hands, gripping Myrtenaster as she tried to hold back her frustration. However, a strange blue light suddenly appeared below her, as waves of energy began emanating from the ground, rippling against the grass as though it were water. She felt her aura quicken, the blue dust in her weapon two shades away from resonating with the odd light.

"UGH! WHATEVER!" And Weiss Schnee finally ran out of patience. Instead, she focused her semblance, forming a massive glyph at her feet as she held her weapon high, pausing for just a moment as she turned her gaze to the oncoming horde. Picking out the Deathstalker that was being bullied by the instructors, Weiss brought her weapon down. A massive trail of ice shot burst forth, blazing along the ground at incredible speeds, leaving a lingering trail of frozen grass and razor-sharp ice as it collided with the massive scorpion, freezing its front claws and face in a massive flower of ice. The violet bombardment that came afterwards shattered it completely, the grimm falling apart like fragile glass.

* * *

"Quick! We need to help them!" Pyrrha led her group back towards Yang's group, her motions still stiff from her ordeal. Even now, her skin felt cold as she recounted the sensation of rock overtaking her, her aura unable to do anything to stop its spread. However, she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind as she ran forward, drawing Akoúo̱ and Miló in rifle form as she took her place beside Blake. Ren and Nora arrived seconds after, their weapons drawn as well, as gunfire and grenades flew towards the incoming grimm. She almost felt bad for Jaune, he simply stood at the ready, waiting for their enemies to draw closer.

Pyrrha switched back to sword and shield as the monsters drew closer, Miló gleaming in her hand. Everyone else followed suit, preparing for combat as they mentally counted the numbers. Many had fallen to the efforts of Yang's group, as well as the instructor's ranged support. More surprisingly, their enemy from before had also chosen to assist, abandoning their battle. As a result, dozens of fallen corpses and frozen creatures littered the battlefield, as ice continued to arc from the strange man into the mass of grimm. Still, their numbers were staggering. "Over 3 packs of beowolves, judging by the number of alphas. More than two dozen boarbatusks. Tens of ursai, including 5 majors. 3 deathstalkers." Pyrrha uttered her observations, earning a nod from her companions as she crouched forward, watching them approach. The grimm were less than a minute away, so the teenagers prepared to charge.

"Stop!" An adult's voice rung out, and more than a few eyes looked up as they watched a man with white t-shirt, green hair, and silly glasses drop down in front of them. His tone was serious as he turned to face the students, his weapon clenched in one hand as fire bellowed from the top of it. It only took him a moment to assess each teenager, matching faces and weapons to the names he had read on his scroll. "I am Doctor Oobleck, and you will all follow my orders. In return, I guarantee you will come out of this alive." The students nodded eagerly, and Oobleck immediately pointed towards Blake, Yang and Weiss. "You three will be the first group; focus on the beowolf alphas. The other four will be in the second group, thinning out the boarbatusks." He glanced up at the Bullhead, watching as Glynda began firing upon a few of the Ursai, drawing their attention. "I shall deal with the Deathstalkers. Hold this position."

Bartholomew spared a glance at the young man unaffiliated with Beacon, shooting out ice with his odd Semblance while occasionally glancing at the students. He still didn't trust him, but Oobleck had no choice but to tolerate the man. And with that, the teacher took a stance of his own, flicking his wrist as he lobbed a massive fireball towards one of the Deathstalkers.

* * *

"QKP! OZWXMNWN!"

That was a response the Scholar didn't expect. He had just finished shattering a Crystal Blue, an elemental stone of water, in order to help support the spellcaster of the teenager's group. Laying down a magical field Deluge, he had hoped her ice property was close enough to the water property that Deluge enhanced. _'Wait, doesn't water include ice?'_ It was a useless thought, and he quickly discarded it as he turned his attention back to the oncoming horde. More bolts of frost began to gather around him and he tossed it into the group, watching as ice tore through their shadowed bodies.

An explosion of ice from the teenager's side surprised him, as did the fact that he was no longer being attacked. At the very least, he didn't need to worry about being shot in the back until the battle was over. He gathered magic once more, forming the ice into a slightly different shape before willing it forward. A wave of ice tore through the ground, making its way towards one of the giant bears before bursting around his target, freezing the massive beast in place. _'Frost Diver'_. His eye twitched a bit, the silly name of the skill embarrassing even inside his head, and he simply elected to throw more of the spells out in silence.

This silence was broken by the arrival the metal craft from before, and the sound of a man dropping from over twenty meters up forced the Scholar to spare a glance. An adult had managed to join up with the teenagers, and the Scholar could finally afford to relax. Taking out a few more supplies, he gave each of the teenagers a Safety Wall, burning more of his gemstones as he slowly approached the group. He could feel their eyes on him, so he slowed down. Antagonizing them here would be the best way to sabotage their tentative treaty, and he needed the peace for what he'd planned to do.

He finally took out the Yggdrasil Leaf, feeling the faint hum of life contained within the plant. Crushing it, he began to invoke its latent ability, Resurrection. _'Yggdrasil Leaf, red girl.'_ He targeted her the same way he did with all his direct spells, and waited for it to finish casting, the spiritual power flowing into the fallen girl. Finally, the spell was completed, and the Scholar invoked the spell.

And then he fell to his feet, the spirit inside him emptying in an instant, his world blacking out. _'That's not... normal...'_


	7. Hall of Honour

**Chapter 7**  
 **Hall of Honour**

* * *

"Ugh... Why's the floor so hard?"

The first thought that came to Ruby's mind barely made sense, even to herself, and she found herself wondering why she had passed out on the ground. "What happened...?" Ruby was sore, her body aching as she rose to her feet. Just what did she do last night? "Let's see... there was the Deathstalker, then Weiss helped me. We went back to Yang and them, and then we saw that Huntsman push back the Nevermore. After that, he...!" She immediately brought a hand down to her stomach, trying and failing to find that wound. However, the girl felt nothing out of the ordinary beyond the general ache in her body, so she was probably back in a hospital? But why was the ground so hard?

"Wait, why am I on the ground in the first place?"

The teenager immediately hopped up to her feet, brushing off the dust that... wasn't on her clothes? Okay then. She shrugged, and decided to look around instead, trying to get a sense of where she was. However, the first thing she saw was the man who had attacked her standing, looking off in the distance for whatever reason, so that thought went out the window. She ran straight at him, closing the distance as she grab the collar of his vest shirt thing, turning him to face her.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" A frown was plastered on her face as she stared at the man. The young man? Honestly, he looked too young to be a professional huntsman, but that was neither here nor there. "Why'd you attack me like that? You're paying for my hospital bills, you know!" And yet, Ruby wasn't sure whether her words were even getting to him, as the man only had a look of confusion on his face, staring blankly back at her. "Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"

"... What's going on?" was all he answered, his eyes staring at the girl for just a few moments before turning away. Obviously, he had no intention of answering her questions, at least not while he's distracted by whatever he was looking at, so Ruby half-heartedly followed his gaze.

"That's what I want to... Wait, where are we?" Finally taking the time to look around, Ruby noticed something alarming; rather than the familiar woods of the Emerald Forest, what she saw was... different. They were standing on a large stone pathway, one that started from nowhere and ended at a strange white portal, all suspended high in the sky. The path widened at the center, leading into a hall of some kind with stone pillars surrounding the edge. Finally, massive stone archways floated in the distance, circling around the entire roadway, as clouds and marble filled the background.

The man pulled Ruby's hands away, taking advantage of her momentary confusion as he tried to solve his own. He slowly began walking the tiled path, something else clearly on his mind. Seeing no other choice, the girl in red decided to follow suit, quickly running up beside the man, throwing a questioning glance his way. "So um... Are you gonna answer my question?"

* * *

"Everyone, get onto the ship!" Ozpin's voice rang out as he brought the Bullhead down to earth, the craft slowly settling down on the ground. As soon as it halted, the headmaster ran outside, immediately making his way towards the fallen student. He knelt down beside her, taking a moment to inspect how grievous her wounds were, before coming to a startling realization. Her body had no scars on it, nor was her face discoloured and pale. In fact, the only thing wrong with Miss Rose's body was that ... her Aura far more active than it had any right to be.

"One of you students retrieve him as well!" The headmaster pointed at the unconscious man. He knew full well that, whatever was going on with his student, that individual was responsible.

"What?! Can't we just leave him here?" As expected, Yang was the first person to voice his discontent. This was the same man who had nearly killed her sister. Why should they save him now?

"Miss Xiao Long, do not forget that the first duty of any huntsman is to protect humanity from the Grimm." Of course, Ozpin understood her frustration, but there simply was no time to argue. "I assure you, we will investigate the matter completely, and you will be present during the entire session. However, we must leave for now. The local grimm leave us no room to debate this topic." He gestured towards the crowd, barely being held back by the rest of the students and teachers before turning to Yang. "Have Mr. Arc help you carry that man aboard." The look on Ozpin's face showed that there was no room for argument, so Yang resigned herself to her task.

Ozpin proceeded to carry out his own task as well, picking up Ruby as he quickly made his way back onto the Bullhead. She seemed stable enough, but he had to be sure. He took out a tool to measure her aura, as well as a few mundane medical tools make sure nothing was wrong with her physically. Once he was confident that there was no lasting damage, Ozpin strapped the unconscious girl into one of the seats, fixing her in place just as the first of the students began to climb aboard.

"Miss Schnee, please watch over your partner for the remainder of our flight. She's stable now, and I want to ensure she remains that way."

"Thank you, sir. We're glad you made it in time to help her." Weiss was visibly relieved upon hearing that Ruby would be okay, not catching the look on Ozpin's face as she turned to face her sleeping partner. She had colour on her face once more, and honestly looked like she was peacefully taking a nap. Finally at ease, Weiss turned to the exit of the Bullhead, watching the rest of the students board the ship. However, the sight of two students dragging along a familiar face immediately dampened her mood. "I hope we're bringing him along so we can arrest him."

"They were told to bring him along." Blake supplied an answer to Weiss's query. Unlike her companion, Blake was not so against the idea. After all, she tried to keep herself informed during their fight, keeping a constant eye on both Ruby as well as the unknown man. As such, she definitely noticed his sudden collapse, as well as the fact that Ruby's condition improved immediately afterwards. If anything, Blake Belladona couldn't help but wonder if this entire thing was some misunderstanding. "By the teaching staff. They probably want to question him."

Weiss accepted that answer with a frown, taking a seat beside Ruby as she watched the teachers finally board the ship. They were expert huntsmen, and the girl was certain they would be able to pry some answers out from the unconscious man.

* * *

"How come can I understand you?" That was the first question on the Scholar's mind, so that was the first thing he blurted out. Of course, he knew the red girl beside him could offer no answers, and he immediately ignored the confusion that spread on her face, turning instead to face the path. Of course, the girl noticed that immediately.

"What is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn't you be able to understand me?" Ruby's expression was one of simple confusion, as if the man had answered her with a joke of some kind instead. "Hey! You're supposed to give me a proper answer, you know?" She grumbled as she followed him, the two figures slowly stepping into the massive stone hall. Ruby's inquisitive eyes fell on ancient columns, admiring their craftsmanship before she noticed something else that populated the room."Huh? Who're they?"

The Scholar gave no answer as he continued onward, ignoring Ruby as his gaze fell to the people who lined up along the edge of the room. Their presence confirmed the man's suspicions, and he gave out a tired sigh as he examined each person's neutral expressions. They, in turn, mostly ignored him as they continued standing around, being humanoid ornaments or something equally pointless. Still, the young man had no intention of loitering, and began to move towards the end of the room.

"Um, excuse me, could you tell us where we are?" Unfortunately, Ruby had no such plans, turning to a tall man clad head-to-toe in ornate plate armour. She was surprised, as the design was far too restrictive for practical huntsman use, but tried to be polite as she questioned the man. "We're... we're still in Vale, right?"

"Welcome to Valhalla, the Hall of Honour." His voice was clear as the armoured man answered Ruby. His next words continued like clockwork, giving the young girl no time to question the statement. "Please make yourself comfortable while you are here. Honour to the warriors!" And with that, he resumed standing around, answering none of the girl's worries.

"Don't waste your time." An annoyed voice sounded out from the Scholar as he turned to the girl. He could already see that she was trying to question the Paladin once more, and the last thing he needed was a constantly repeated greeting. "They don't say anything else."

"In that case, do you know where we are? And why won't they say anything else?" Ruby's questions still stood, and she resolved to get them answered as she returned to the robed man. With the funny sleeves. "And how do your sleeves float like that?"

"We're in Valhalla. Now come on." The Scholar chose to answer only one of the girl's questions, leading her to the end of the hall, ignoring the rest of the people who populated the room. Soon, the two stood in front of the glowing white portal, a faint hum of energy echoing from the swirling mass of light. Without another word, the man stepped in, leaving a confused Ruby to question the odd sight before she finally decided to follow after him.

* * *

Wings.

Ruby's first thought was one of awe. That portal had somehow sent them to another room, also floating above the clouds. This room had a massive circular carving that stood at its center, glowing with a brilliant light. However, what drew the girl's attention was the sight of the woman floating above this circle. She had wings. Sure, her pristine breastplate and flowing white robes were impressive, as was the intricate cross-spear-thing she held in one hand, but seriously. _WINGS._ Still, it was just a bit creepy how the woman stared blankly down at the other two.

"Welcome to Valhalla, the hall of honour." Like the people before, the woman's expression was neutral as she greeted the Scholar and Ruby. Both had an inquisitive expression on their face, but the winged lady ignored it, blankly staring at them as she continued her speech. "Unfortunately, you have not been invited here. I ask you to leave immediately." She slowly raised her spear, energy encompassing it as she pointed towards the two, intent on sending them away.

"No. That's not right, is it? You've been here twice before, haven't you?" Her expression softened as she spoke those words, and the spear fell to her side once more. She turned to face the Scholar properly, giving the man a rueful soft smile. "Though it seems the guidance of Skuld was not enough."

"Valkyrie... What's going on?" The Scholar was the first to react. This was the first time he had seen anyone from... before display any sort of facial expression. It was also the first time he thought about it, but current events pushed that idea out of his mind. He had more pressing questions. "How did we end up here?"

"Yeah! And who's Skuld? And what do you mean he's been here before?" Ruby also used the chance to ask her own question, though her thoughts were far less focused. And it seems her questions would be answered first, as the Valkyrie turned to face the girl.

"One of the three Norns, the goddess Skuld embodies the future, lending her guidance as she watches over the fates of man. You stand in Valhalla, the point closest to heaven. The man beside you has journeyed here once before, burning away his life and memories in order to experience Rebirth." The Valkyrie's gaze fell on Ruby, bemused by the confusing that appeared on the teenager's face. "Then he journeyed here once more, in order to gain wisdom from the warriors within these halls, taking on the mantle of the Scholar."

There were waaay too many questions that Ruby had for the floating lady. Norns of Fates? Goddess? Valhalla? Rebirth? None of those words made sense, and she tried to resist the urge to dump this information into the "ignore" section of her brain. However, it was the Scholar's turn to get some answers from the Valkyrie, and Ruby preemptively winced at the incoming confusion.

"And you are both here because of this." The Valkyrie raised her hand, producing an image of the Yggdrasil leaf that the Scholar had used. This alone wasn't enough of an explanation, so she elaborated. By pointing her other hand at Ruby. "And because of her."


	8. Rebirth

**Chapter 8**  
 **Rebirth**

* * *

"Wait, how is this my fault?" Ruby was the first to speak up, waving her hands in protest as she looked up at the armoured Valkyrie. "I didn't even do anything! Except get attacked, I guess, but that wasn't my fault either! That was all _him_!"

"I do not mean it in that sense." The winged woman's response was almost chiding as she turned to Ruby once more. "It is because the leaf had lost most of its energy, and your Spiritual Power was used to anchor it." Because, you know, that explanation somehow made more sense.

"What do you mean 'lost most of its energy'?" Despite Ruby's confusion, the Scholar had followed the conversation just fine, and that statement worried him. It would explain why half his skills weren't working properly, but he couldn't comprehend how items would lose their power in the first place.

"You are no longer an existence tied to the World Tree. If it could've been called that in the first place." A wry smile formed on the Valkyrie's face at those words, before she quickly dispelled it. "While you can exist outside its influence, the items you have brought from Midgard cannot. In time, they will lose their power completely."

That was the first time he had heard of anything outside the domain of Yggdrasil. The World Tree was the root of everything. To no longer be tied to it means to exist without existing. "How can that make sense?... Is that where Satan Morroc tried to escape to?"

"Morroc...?" An inquisition expression formed on the Valkyrie's face as she stared at the Scholar, her eyes flickering with colour. It bore deep into the man, and the room was silent for a few moments. "...Ah. you speak of Surt. No, he sought retreat in Jotu-... In the Ash Vacuum. That world was still tied to the same existence you were."

Surt, Jotu-something, and the Ash Vacuum were all names that the Scholar had no understanding of, each sounding as foreign to him as the last. However, he at least understood the implications behind her last sentence. "... So I'm in a world outside of Yggdrasil." Far be it from him to question the words of a Valkyrie, who spoke with the authority of gods. At the same time, it just felt... completely unbelievable. He would have to stew on that later. "...But that still doesn't explain why we're here. Why Valhalla? And how did she get brought along?"

"No no no! Back up!" The answer to Ruby's questions had been more questions, so she had to clarify those first. "What's Surt? Where's Midgard? What's a yig-dra-seal?" She was 15 year old! How was she supposed to understand half of this?

"My time grows short, and Scholar can answer those questions." Something about the Valkyrie seemed different. Her face no longer matched the image in the Scholar's mind. "I still have one final task afterwards, so I shall answer his final question." A faint rumbling could be heard in the distance as she spoke those words, and the light of the sky grew just a bit dimmer.

"This leaf pales in comparison to Yggdrasil, but it was enough. It took Spiritual Power from you to make up for what it lacked, and then it took from her what you lacked. Everything you see around you is an image born from the Soul." The Valkyrie gave a meaningful look to the girl, as if appraising her. "And it seems her Soul is a strong one indeed. Its power far exceeded expectations. The reason you stand here in this... Valhalla is because this was when you first heard my name. It was the strongest point for me to manifest."

That was different... The Scholar was certain he had never heard the Valkyrie's name before. Was it just Valkyrie? Huh, talk about uninspired. "Okay... So we're here because the leaf was fading like everything else, and it took our combined Spiritual Power to activate. And we're not really in Valhalla."

"Trust me, Scholar. You would recognize Valhalla if you were to step foot in it." A playful chuckle sounded from the Valkyrie, tinged with the voice of something else. Something far older than she appeared.

"Now that that's out of the way, I must complete my task."

* * *

They still had to decide what to do with him.

At the orders of Ozpin, the instructors had brought the man onto the Bullhead. His unconscious body was strapped into one of the many seats on the craft, and Glynda had bound his hands with metal to ensure nothing happens. The instructor stood in front of him, waiting for the young man to finally awaken so she could properly question him. Ozpin sat on the seat next to the man, a stern expression on his face as he searched through the bag that belonged to their trespasser friend.

"Glynda, what does this look like to you?" Ozpin took out a handful of gemstones from the bag and presented it to his colleague. What was striking about the stones was that they all had the same hue of either Red, Yellow, and Blue, and each stone had the same uniform cut.

The woman took one of the red stones, bringing it up for closer examination, turning it in her hands as she looked at it from each angle. "From what I can tell, this doesn't look like a mineral. If anything, I'd say it looks like a dust crystal. Except..."

"... Except it doesn't feel like one." Ozpin finished her sentence. "They look like trinkets, but this man's carrying far too many to use as simple ornaments. And based on his actions, I doubt he has intent to sell them. What else does he have in here...?" The headmaster searched the bag once again, his hands moving from gemstone to mysterious bottle to... "Ah, a book. Perhaps this can enlighten us."

Everyone watching Ozpin suddenly widened their eyes in surprise as they watched him pull out the book. Even Ozpin couldn't help but be impressed as he took the large book out from the bag; after all, with the two items side by side, everyone could clearly see that the bag was smaller. Perhaps he should continue his search once he returned to his office. Closing the bag, he set it aside, focusing his attention to the book at hand.

"For now, let's try to see if we... Hmm. That's unexpected." The statement drew the attention of everyone once more, and a few of the more inquisitive students tried to steal a glance from the book.

"Hey, uh, professor?" Jaune was the first to voice his concern, his eyes drawn to the image of a sword, with illegible scratchings scrawled beside it. "What language is that?"

The question of what to do with the strange man only grew louder.

* * *

"Waitwaitwait."

Of course, a little girl interrupted once more as she began waving her arms. "That doesn't explain everything! What do you mean my Soul? Why would a leaf need my Aura if it's got his? How wou-mmmfph!" All of a sudden, her voice stopped. Ruby began panicking, bringing her hand to her mouth, failling to find exactly what was obstructing her words. The Scholar gave out a chuckle as he spotted a familiar chat bubble appear above the girl, containing only "..." as it floated above her head.

"These abstractions are entertaining, I'll admit." It seemed the Valkyrie was just as amused as she let out a chuckle, before straightening herself. "But I apologize. The Scholar will answer your questions in time. For now, I must finish my task." She gave one final look to Ruby before motioning the man to step forward. "It is time for you to be reborn, one last time."

"Rebirth?" Surprise and confusion overtook the Scholar's face, and the girl beside him had a similar expression as they gazed at the Valkyrie. However, she offered no other explanation, as she began the ritual. Her voice resounded, echoing throughout Valhalla.

"You will now end your present life and begin an entirely new life. Honour to the warriors." The words were familiar to Scholar, yet the tone was far different than the one presented in his memories. "I see you've already released yourself from worldly attachments, **Scholar**." That was not his name. Was it? He couldn't remember, trying to puzzle out how this scene played out before. However, what he did remember told him the next words were wrong.

"This an unfortunate path to have taken for adventurer such as yourself. Still, honour comes when you abandon all desires for the sake of mankind." And now Ruby was giving the ritual her full attention.

"I have no need of removing all your present memories... They detached the moment you entered this world. Remember instead the most honourable moments of your old life." The world grew darker with each word that Valkyrie spoke. The sky was no longer illuminated by the light of the sun, and even the stars slowly began to fade.

"With one, I will ask the goddess Urd to remove from you all trace of your previous life." The Scholar fell to his knees, his Spiritual Power leaving his body, the blue light fading from his form.

"With two, I will ask the goddess Verdandi to keep and record the most honourable moments of your present life." He could see the Spiritual Power twisting in front of him, parts of Valhalla fading away as a tinge of crimson began to mix in.

"And with three, I... will ask the goddess Skuld to guide you in your next life." His Spiritual Power returned once more, and he felt... Different. Wrong. Wrong? No, that's not the right to view it. After all, this was the same sensation he had felt from when he tried to Sense the teenagers earlier. Similar sensation? Close enough. Too tired to think.

"Congratulations. You are now reborn into a brand new life." The Valkyrie's voice was quiet, slowly fading away. "Unfortunately, I have no further gifts to give you in preparation for your new adventure."

And with that, the Scholar passed out.

* * *

Ruby could talk again. She had no idea what to say as she repeated the past few minutes in her head. Her gaze went from the fallen man to the floating woman, holding back the urge to retort in some way. However, a few moments of awkward silence encouraged her words, and she cleared her throat. "Um... Can I ask my questions now?"

"Yes, but try to make it quick." The Valkyrie said simply, one hand gesturing to the side. Ruby's gaze followed, and she saw a growing darkness steadily consuming Valhalla. "I do not have long."

"Wait, what's happening?" Her voice was panicked as Ruby watched the world around her crumble, slowly being consumed by darkness. "What's going on?"

"Oh, is that all?" Unlike Ruby, the winged woman was calm, watching the girl panic with a bemused expression. "You're just waking up."


	9. A Shining Beacon

**Chapter 9**  
 **A Shining Beacon**

* * *

"Oh come on!"

Ruby's exasperated voice suddenly sounded out, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had filled the Bullhead. She wasn't entirely aware of her situation, but at the moment, the teenager didn't care. "That explains nothi-!"

"Ruby! You're okay!" Her random complaints were cut off by the glomp of a certain blonde huntress, not giving the girl any room to respond as Yang hugged her little sister tightly. It took a few minutes before Yang finally loosened her grip, turning up to face Ruby, traces of tears still stuck in her eyes. "I was so worried..."

"Yang...? What happened? The last thing I remember was..." A light? Sky? Someone smiling? Honestly, Ruby Rose could barely remember her dream, but she had an odd feeling that it was something important. At least, something related to what happened back in... "Oh no, our exam! Did we pass? How'd I fall asleep? Did I fail us or something? Dad's going to kill me..."

Yang flinched at her sister's choice of words, her eyes falling downwards. To think that her sister would joke about something when she nearly died... The Huntress was about to respond, but a certain headmaster cleared his throat before anyone could say another word.

"I hate to interrupt this reunion, Miss Xiao Long, but I have a few questions for your sister." Ozpin's serious demeanor cut through the atmosphere as he turned to Ruby. "You have been through quite the ordeal. How are you feeling, Ms. Rose?"

"Um... Confused, I guess? I didn't know Beacon had teachers who had wings! Were they real?" Ruby immediately spoke her mind, paying no attention to her surroundings as her random questions cut through the previous unease. Instead, she began looking around, trying to find any trace of the Valkyrie from early, only to find that she was in a different setting once more "... Wait, where are we now? What happened to the floating lady?"

"Floating... lady?" Ozpin could glean a few bits of information from the confused student, but without context, most of her questions made no sense. But before he could ask her another question, Ruby spotted a familiar stranger.

"Hey! You! You owe me some answers!" The teenager threw an accusing finger at the bound Scholar, impatience growing on her face. It seemed like Ruby had finally remembered the attack from earlier, and everyone else wanted to know why h- "You're a friend of hers, right? Could you ask her where she got those things?"

 _...What._

The looks of concern, worry, and stress that had filled the teenagers' expressions immediately gave way to deadpan confusion. The first to recover, Weiss shook her head, turning to face her partner as she pinched the younger girl's ear. "Shouldn't you be asking about SOMETHING ELSE?"

"Mio... ypeg av kchn... Zk uos llnsaz hsij dqbr?" An voice rang out in response, and everyone's focus turned away from Ruby to the man she had been yelling at. Blake and Yang froze, barely recognizing it now that the man's voice was no longer distorted. Rather than sounding like broken, creaking metal, the two girls were able to identify coherent sounds. Not that those sounds made any sense, or even sounded like words, but it was a start, right?

"Hey, don't talk about her that way!" Ruby immediately answered the man, much to the surprise of everyone present. However, she was unaware of the attention, a tired expression on her face as she looked at the man proper. "She's still my partner... And she does have a point. You owe me answers. The floating lady even said so."

"Qqb apae ljl Jllbqtps."

"Yeah, that Valkyrie! What does she mean, anyways?"

"Zqd ox i jmrwcdeu lq rbzw?"

"Well, she did say you'd answer all my questions after th-"

"OKAY, HOLD ON FOR A MINUTE." Yang had had enough, and covered her younger sister's mouth. An incredulous look was plastered on her face as she turned to Ruby. "How the hell are you holding a conversation with him? You can understand him?"

Being the little sister that she was, Ruby accepted the hand for all of one second before pulling it aside, returning a confused glance to her sister. "Uh, what do you mean? Why wouldn't I? He's speaking clearly, isn't he?"

"He's speaking a completely different LANGUAGE!" By this time, the blonde huntress was trying to catch her breath, no longer able to keep up with the confusing turn of events. Things had gone from school exam to mystery man to grimm attack to mystery _murder_ man to more grimm to mystery murder man that Ruby seems to be friends with. "And why are you so friendly with him? He nearly killed you!"

"Wait... he what?"

* * *

One explanation later, Ruby gave an odd look to the Scholar. From what she could tell, he wasn't a bad person, just a very... confusing person. And he was helping with the giant Nevermore before everything else happened... Plus, the Valkyrie from early had called him a hero or something. Heroes can't be bad, right? "This is probably just a misunderstanding or something. He didn't mean to hurt me, right?" She gave a hopeful glance to the man.

To the Scholar, the rest of the conversation was gibberish, but it no longer grated at him. Instead of twisted words with some ungodly filter wrapped around them, they were merely foreign voices and foreign sounds. Still, he could understand the girl in red for some reason, and her words coupled with the occasional glares from the other teenagers were just enough to understand what sort of conversation they were having. "Kqyfj... Ik ocz oy atukksyt. Pgw hdaerjgk gfduwpsm, lnu av dod ak s dhr eidw."

"See? he said it's an accident, so it's fine!" The young girl beamed at her sister, accepting the scholar's words completely as she brushed the issue aside. And then she felt her sister's arms tighten around her. "Y-Yang?"

"How can you say that?!" Her voice was breaking as she yelled, the outburst startling Ruby as much as her sister's sudden embrace. Yang held onto her tightly, the tears that had been quelled earlier slowly starting to form. Her body quivered, the stress of the day's events pushing the girl to her limits, and the next words she spoke were far quieter, barely audible as she whispered to Ruby. "... Don't you get it, sis? You almost died because of him..."

Ruby had no response for that. She of all people knew how important family was, after all. Rather than respond, the red girl returned the hug, patting Yang's back as she supported her older sister.

The flight continued on in silence.

* * *

He appreciated the silence. It gave him time to think.

The Scholar turned his attention away from the red and yellow teenagers as he began stewing over the Valkyrie's last words, piecing together the last few... Hours? How long was he out?

From what he could tell, the resurrection succeeded, but the Yggdrasil Leaf wasn't enough. According to the Valkyrie, it lost its power after leaving the influence of the world tree... Which meant that he was no longer in Midgard. So where was he?

And more importantly, what did the Leaf do? It didn't have enough power, so it took spiritual power from both him and the girl. And then he fell unconscious, and they both appeared in Valhalla?

"Gn, xb fsdba lct ria cmag hbctzfhzcl Zg. Qdar." Lost in his thoughts, the Scholar did not notice the other man sit down beside him. The person before him had a look of importance, sitting tall as he gave the Scholar an appraising look. "W gpdr azcg didhbvcmh nbf xdc, ois ipnh vxty vzkm gc vpqg imiqy Ftqg pom bmqwzim."

This language difference confused the Scholar the most. It didn't seem normal... But then again, the only other language he encountered in Run-Midgard was one that belonged to the mysterious Umbala tribe. Still, their words didn't sound so broken either. Actually, he couldn't remember what their words sounded like at all, only that he had eventually learned to understand it one day. _'I don't know why, but I don't think that's how language is supposed to work...'_

But that was neither here nor that. He felt the imposing gaze of the man beside him, and the Scholar knew that he was probably the equivalent of being arrested. This was confirmed when the man gestured to his bindings, then to his adventurer bag that... _'Hey! Did he steal that while I was unconscious? Damnit.'_

Even if he couldn't understand the language, he knew full well what the message was.

* * *

By the time they had landed, Yang's mood improved. She and her sister were the last ones to descend from the Bullhead, and the sight of Beacon Academy filled every student with a sense of relief. They had made it through the day, and despite everything, they had made it out safely. However, the academy grounds was filled with confused students who had taken the preliminary examination. From the sounds of things, no one was sure why the event was called off, and many were wondering if they had failed.

The two girls, however, were wondering where their friends were.

"Oh, there they are!" Ruby sprinted off with her usual enthusiasm, and Yang couldn't help but sigh as she quickly followed suit. The group was already talking about the events of the day as the two girls drew near, and they only caught the tail end of the conversation.

"...think she was talking about?" Jaune's confused voice was loudest as they approached the group, trying to puzzle what had happened to Ruby. "She said something about Valkyrie. Isn't that Nora's last name?"

"Just because that was mentioned doesn't mean it's related to me! I don't even know who that guy is!" The pink girl in question immediately protested, stealing a glance at the man being interrogated by the teachers. "And it's not like we can ask him. He only talks in that weird- Oh, hey you two! Over here!" Nora's waving quickly changed the topic, as everyone greeted the two latecomers.

"Hello! Um... I don't think I caught your name earlier..." Ruby greeted Nora's energy with her own, and it took all of one minute for everyone to get acquainted with each other.

"Ahem. Attention, students." Good thing, too, as Ozpin took this opportunity to address everyone's concerns. "As you all have heard, we had to cut our entrance examinations short today due to an unexpected grimm incursion. Rest assured, this will have no influence on your standing, as we have been evaluating **all** of you throughout this exercise.

"But remember that today was merely a taste of the life you've chosen to pursue. Being a huntsman is not a decision to make lightly, and I hope today's events reminded you of all that. If you continue to walk this path, you will need the resolve to push past this, and far worse in the future. For now, you are free to relax. The examination results will be announced tomorrow morning." The man gave a sigh, giving one final look to the students as he concluded his statements. His eyes soon fell on Ruby's group, as the events of the day replayed in the man's head.

This year was going to be an interesting one.


	10. Job Change

**Chapter 10**  
 **Job Change**

* * *

"And finally... Blake Belladona, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xaio Long. The four of you showed solidarity and coordination in the face of overwhelming adversity. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Rwby, led by... Ruby Rose." The last student team was formed, and Ozpin could finally dropped his formal tone. Though the students were not able to retrieve any of the relics for the test, there was plenty of observational data for the teachers to work with. It might not have been what the headmaster originally intended, but the tests still gave him enough results to make a decision.

Unfortunately, he still had another important decision that he had to make soon. Turning off his mic, Ozpin faced the girls once more, his voice a bit more serious. "When you girls have time, could you all come up to my office? There are still some things we need to discuss. Oh, and please inform Team JNPR to attend as well" Truthfully, he only needed Ruby to act as a translator for her ... aggressor, but it would be better if the entire group was present, since they were all probably as curious about the man as he was.

When Team RWBY confirmed his orders with a diligent nod, Ozpin finally left the stage, making his way to where the rest of the teachers, save Glynda, were standing. "Now that we've resolved the issue with our prospective students, I'd like to discuss our... other problem. Have you found out anything, Bartholomew?"

"Unfortunately not. The writing in these books are unlike any I have ever seen, in terms of both current day languages and common historical ones." Oobleck quickly answered, one hand holding his thermos while the other supported a book. "And most of the images in this book are just as foreign to me. I'd say this was a product of childish imagination if it weren't the fact that this book was professionally made."

"An unknown man speaking an unknown language carrying unknown books..." Ozpin pondered the implications, before finally settling his thoughts. "Well, for now, we must discuss is what to do with the boy. I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts..."

* * *

Glynda kept an eye on the young man that was currently seated in Ozpin's office, throwing him the occasional glance while she read over some paperwork. The headmaster had decided to unbind the young man, but as a precaution, kept a hold of his bag, so it was her duty to ensure the person didn't cause any trouble. And from what the teacher could tell, the man was just fine behaving himself. From what she could tell, he was content with simply standing there, looking out the window. Less stress for her, at least.

Of course, she remained vigilant, one hand ready to draw her weapon at a moment's notice. But for now, it was a rare moment of reprieve, and she wondered what Ozpin planned to do with the man.

That was the tricky part, wasn't it? They could not overlook the attack on one their students, but at the same time, they also couldn't deny his assistance with the resulting grimm. She was also certain that he had something to do with the student's recovery, but that left more questions than answers. Finally, all of this occurred within academy grounds, so they would be the only ones passing judgement on this young man.

Young man. A young man with unknown items, a mysterious semblance, and strange aura, but a young man all the same. Taking another look at him, Glynda couldn't help but notice how out-of-place he was. It wasn't hard to imagine him as a second or third year student of Beacon, as long as she ignored his odd choice of clothing. And likewise, it wasn't hard to guess that Ozpin wanted the him to stay here. At least it would keep him out of trouble should something unexpected happen again.

"You'll be on your best behaviour, right?" Glynda's question was rhetorical, and she knew it. The man's confused expression confirmed that he still had no clue what she was saying, despite the fact that he seemed to understand the words of the student from earlier. This whole thing was either an elaborate ploy, or something far more serious, and the teacher couldn't help but stare impatiently at the door. "The sooner we resolve this, the better..."

A knock sounded out the moment she thought that, and Glynda quickly suppressed her surprise as she opened it.

* * *

"Hello! Um... Professor Ozpin said we should come by his office after we were done." Ruby flinched a bit at Glynda's questioning glance, but quickly composed herself. After all, they were supposed to be here, so no reason to be worried about it. "Is he here yet?"

"I'm sorry, but the headmaster has not yet returned. He should be along shortly, so you can all wait inside." The teacher led the Team JNPR and Team RWBY into the office, and all eyes widened at the sight of it. Ozpin's office was nothing like any of them had seen before; a circular room of considerable size, with cogs and clockwork decorating the ceiling. Sunlight streamed in through the clear windows, overlooking the entire Academy below. Everyone knew his office was at the top of the tower highest tower in Beacon, but they never actually appreciated that fact until now. Ruby was the first to run to the window, captivated by the view.

"Wow! To think, it was just yesterday when we were down there looking up here." She turned to her sister, unable to contain her excitement. However, a look of confusion grew on her face when she saw Yang's mixed reaction. Ruby couldn't help but follow Yang's eyes. "Huh? What's the matter, Yang?... Oh, hey again!"

"Qqb'fp hvjg acz?" The young man turned around, to meeting the sisters' gaze as he glanced at Ruby.

"Yeah! You too, huh? I guess this is why Ozpin wanted us here." Unlike Yang's solemn expression, the red girl had a carefree tone to her, almost ignorant of the fact that no one else could follow her conversation. Almost. Her tone fell considerably as she asked her next question. "So uh... I know this is kind of awkward, but... Why did you try to kill me?"

"..." It wasn't just the man who was quiet. Everyone heard Ruby's question, and their eyes fell onto him. Yang, Nora and Pyrrha's had the most pressure behind them, followed closely by Weiss and Ren. Even Jaune, normally bumbling and carefree, had a look of seriousness to him. It was only Glynda and Blake had an inquisitive look on their face, more curious than anything else. "... A fpry't dwcu hz. Yfm uviydvv lbge lzcg avp mffuascs."

"What? I don't sound anything like those things! And you're not making that mistake now, right?"

"Tgmcce kzg avtnx ap Cowhrdnh, mzu rdn zcfnuwf avp sreg. Swve dwvhz mrvsmpbr aev eyslkzfi avcolyj h ttlkwt."

"Huh? How'd you figure that? Our voices don't sound anything like that. Unless metal sounds different where you're from."

Blake was the first to respond as hers eyes widened at Ruby's statement. She spoke up immediately, a question heavy on her mind."...Ruby, what does he sound like to you right now? And what did he say we sounded like?"

"What do you mean, Blake? He doesn't sound like anything." Ruby gave a curious glance to her teammate. "And he said you all sounded like broken metal put through a filter, which is weird. Why?"

"Because that's what he sounded like to us the first time we saw him. Now, he just sounds like gibberish, but before..." Blake's voice trailed off for a moment, eyes falling on the young man. "He sounded wrong. Worse than any grimm I'd heard before." They never considered the possibility that they sounded the same to the man. Now things were even more complicated.

"It doesn't change the fact that he attacked you all the same." Yang was adamant with her statement, as was Weiss. 'It was an accident' doesn't change the fact that he nearly killed Ruby, and they weren't about to forgive him for that any time soon. The rest of the teenagers slowly nodded in agreement as their gaze fell on the man, and though it was no longer filled with the same amount of distrust as before, it still bore into him.

Of course, it was at this very moment that Ozpin decided to speak, announcing his presence to everyone.

"Which is why I have gathered you all here." The sudden voice caused all eyes to shift behind them, and Ozpin returned their stares with a playful smile. "From the sounds of things, this entire incident was the result of miscommunication. That's not to say that he won't be punished, however." He brought a finger to the bridge of his glasses, pushing them up as his gaze fell on the young man. "Though he assisted in suppressing the grimm, his actions provoked their presence in the first place. And the fact remains that he still wounded a student.

"Because of these transgressions, I have decided that he will be put in the custody of the School. He shall learn discipline alongside the rest of you, and his schedule shall be managed directly by me as necessary. Are there any questions?" He gave a look to each of the students, gauging their reactions. As expected, Yang and Weiss seemed to take the suggestion the hardest, and looked like they were on the verge of voicing their opinion. However, Ozpin was the headmaster, so they kept quiet, and he made note of this. "If not, then I'd like to ask Miss Rose to relay my orders to our associate."

Ruby quickly nodded, and turned to face the man. It didn't take long before he reluctantly nodded at her, seeing no other way for this situation to resolve peacefully. Having obtained consent from the individual, Ozpin took out his Scroll, filling out the necessary paperwork for his gross misuse of power. He paused for just a moment, a curious expression forming on his face as he looked back to Ruby. "This may seem a bit late, but could you ask him what his name is? Hopefully it's something that translates well."

"Sure thing! So what did you say your name was?" The girl was happy to have resolved everything, and turned her attention to the young man.

"Ea qcm tzlnl wd Stzqsoc."

"You just said that's a title! What's your name?"

"... A fvb'e hrng vbp."

Ruby was a bit surprised at that statement. Had he been going by his job title alone? Why? Still, she needed to report it, so she turned back to the headmaster. "He says he doesn't have a name... Just the job title of 'Scholar'."

 _'...What a troublesome child.'_ Those were Ozpin's final thoughts on the matter. "If he wishes to go by a title rather than a name, then I suppose we'll call him... Hall. For hall monitor."

The sudden silence, followed by snickers from the teenagers gave the Scholar a bad feeling. It was strengthened when he saw the expression on the other man's face, and was finally was vindicated when Ruby turned back towards him, speaking without ambiguity, and with an innocently earnest voice.

"Nice to meet you Hall Monitor!"


	11. Not So Different

**Chapter 11**  
 **Not So Different**

* * *

 _'Why Hall Monitor?'_

There were more important things to worry about than his name. He expected a question about Rune-Midgard, about the Valkyrie, about his magic. Maybe who he was or what he planned to do? Even if he didn't know himself, they didn't know that he didn't know, and now no one will know, because he didn't know _why hall monitor_. He didn't even know why he was annoyed at the term, since it was the first time he had heard of it.

"... Why Hall Monitor?" It was about time for the Scholar's mouth to catch up with his mind, asking the question as he stared blankly at Ruby.

"I guess Professor Ozpin wanted you to work with him as a hall monitor?" She shrugged off the question, and judging by the expressions on everyone's face, they considered it a topic that was over and done with. "But what's wrong with calling you Hall? It's better than 'Scholar', at least. Unless you had a nickname or something that your friends called you."

The Scholar Hall made a complicated face at her next question. It wasn't because he couldn't remember, but because he remembered all too clearly; His party were the closest thing he could think of, but they never interacted beyond those odd chat bubbles. _Chat bubbles?_ There wasn't really any other way to describe it, but it was also something absurd, now that he was given time to reflect. Hall had the sneaking suspicion that something was very wrong. Wrong with here? Wrong with where he came from? Wrong with him? Who knows, but-

"Oh, sorry... I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Ruby noticed the complicated expression on his face, and snapped the Scholar out of his thoughts.

"Wmsmrr. Swwhug, xn lct swa'h lxvq, W'c aqxs sd ify xdc n tdl yhsriqbbr bgfsku. Ebiks gbi at evzkxvt hn iznbraigs, Lh. Zbgd?" And if Ruby's tone wasn't enough to snap him out of his thoughts, the person named Ozpin did. The Scholar gave an inquisitive glance to Ruby, and she happily complied.

"Oh, don't worry about it. He just wants to ask you a few questions!"

It wasn't like he had a choice, and the Scholar saw no harm in answering. And so, the next half hour was spent mediating between Ozpin and Hall, with Ruby cheerfully answering everything. Who he was, where he came from, what he planned to do... Honestly, there wasn't much to answer with. He was from a world called Midgard, and he fought things with magic. He chased a world-threatening demon thing through a space between dimensions, and fell which landed him here. Wherever here was.

In addition to his origin story, Hall was asked about his abilities, and as Nora put it, "why he was more durable than Ren was patient." Granted, she had said it less eloquently, but the Scholar was blissfully unaware as he had Ruby to translate. Not that the analogy made sense, but he did get the gist of what they were saying, and gestured to the adventurer bag that Ozpin carried. Inside were countless potions and catalysts, nothing more than fancy trinkets now that they had lost their magic.

Maybe?

"Hey Ruby, could you ask them when I can have my stuff back?" The Scholar had a few ideas... After all, it wasn't just magic in there. And for some reason, this Aura thing had some similarities with magic, so maybe he could do something.

"Sure thing!" Unaware of the Scholar's thoughts, Ruby relayed the question. Ozpin's answer was surprising, and after a few moments, she turned back to Hall. "Um... He said you can have them back when you're able to ask for it yourself..."

Great. Just great. Time to figure out how to speak gibberish.

* * *

"... And finally, this is the cafeteria."  
"And this is the cafeteria!"

It was an odd sight, to be sure. Before he could learn their language, the Scholar had other duties to fill as a hall monitor. As such, he needed to acquaint himself with the school grounds, so it fell to Peter Port to show this young man around the facilities. Following behind the veteran huntsman was Ruby, cheerfully repeating everything he said. While she did tone down her voice when she noticed other students staring at the trio, Ruby kept her energetic tone going all the same. "Ooh, do you have a favourite food or anything?"

Port kept a close eye on the youth. Of course, he didn't question Ozpin's decision to have the young man as acting hall monitor, nor did he any perceive any sort of threat from the man dubbed Hall. If anything, the huntsman was curious about the boy as a person. From what Ozpin had told him, the man came from a world where conflict was ever present, much like their world of Remnant. However, rather than grimm, they fought against all manners of beasts. Dragons and demons and sentient slime... It was curiosity rather than caution that spurred Port's interest. Still, that would have to wait until he learned more about Remnant's language. For now, the man simply had to show him around the facilities.

That doesn't mean he had to treat his orientation duties like a chore, though.

"I recommend the ribs. They're delicious, and provide plenty of energy for growing huntsmen such as yourselves." Port's jovial voice answered Ruby's query before the she got a response. Without dwelling on it any further, the huntsman led them to the register, a cheerful smile on his face as he waited patiently in line. "In fact, why don't I treat you all to a meal? From what I've heard, today has been a tiring one, and this is the last place I need to show our little friend for the day."

"Are you sure? Thanks Mr. Port!" Ruby quickly accepted, before turning to explain the situation to Hall. He, in turn, bowed his in thanks, a gesture that seemed to transcend language barriers. _'A well-mannered child like him can't be all bad.'_ That was Port's current position on the matter, and just before his mind could question why a different world had the same idea of manners as theirs', it was his turn to order.

"I'll get our friend here the ribs I recommended. What would you like, Miss Rose?"

"Ice cream! Cookies! Both!"

"..."

* * *

Not everyone was as accepting as Port, however. Yang Xiao Long was one of the people who were hesitant to accept 'Hall' into Beacon. While she knew she had no say in the matter, the fact remains that he tried to attack her sister, and the teenager only had to accept the headmaster's decision; she didn't have to _like_ it.

"I don't like this." There was no ambiguity as Yang stated her mind. She, along with Blake and Weiss, followed behind the group as they toured the academy grounds. "We're just supposed to accept that he's sorry? After what he did?"

Neither Blake nor Weiss knew what to say. While Blake could sympathize with the man in question, both of them knew how the blonde felt. Yang was understandably upset, since it was her sister she almost lost. Still... "Try to calm down, Yang... It was just a really bad misunderstanding." Blake was the first to speak up, trying to appeal to reason. "You heard what Ozpin said. He did patch her up, and he also helped us out with the grimm."

"So that makes it okay that he nearly killed her in the first place?!"

"He didn't mean to! You heard what he said."

"No, I didn't! I heard what Ruby heard him say! All I hear from him is gibberish!"

"Either way, he's working under the headmaster now to make amends." Blake tried to placate Yang's outburst, but she wasn't having any of that.

"So what? You think I'll forget about it just because he's a hall monitor now?" The blonde glared at her companion, gritting her teeth as she spoke those words, her fists clenched tightly. "Why are you even on his side?!"

This quieted the black-haired girl. She wasn't picking sides or going against anyone, after all. There was something else driving her, and she wanted to let Yang know what it was. "... I just think people who want to change deserve a second chance."

"Even if they hurt someone?!"

Weiss was the first to catch the expression on Blake's face. It was far more than just being upset with the argument... There was something far deeper that was bothering the girl. She wasn't the best judge of character, but for some reason, the heiress was sure she could feel a sense of... self doubt coming from her companion. Whether it was real or imagined, it was enough to spur Weiss to speak up.

"Look... There's no point in arguing over it now. The teachers have already spoken, so the best thing we can do is watch over them to make sure nothing happens." She couldn't do anything but stay neutral and urge the conversation forward. Yang was too angry and Blake was too... something else, so anything else they try to debate over won't end well. "As soon as he tries something, we can bring it up with Ozpin."

"... Fine." Yang finally relented, seeing the pleading expression on Weiss's face. As she turned to Blake, she finally noticed the expression on her face, speaking volumes for what she felt. The blonde finally realized that this was about more than just Hall, though she had no idea what. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down "... Sorry for snapping like that." She knew that some people did deserve a second chance, especially if they were willing to try. After all, she had made some mistakes herself. But, in spite of that fact, Yang wasn't sure when she'd be able to forgive someone for nearly taking Ruby's life.

Blake nodded at her companion's apology, finally collecting herself as she looked up at the blonde. This was no time to think about her own position. Whether she deserved a second chance or not, she got it, so there was no point in dwelling on it. "It's okay. We'll just have to make sure he's really sorry, and doesn't hurt anyone. After all, we're supposed to protect our team leader, right?"

"I still can't believe she's our leader now." the words were a bit forced, and Weiss's upset expression was a bit too animated, but she tried her best to change the topic. Of course, her other team members noticed this just fine, and took this opportunity to tease her.

""Better her than you.""

"Hey! Just what is that supposed to mean?"

* * *

Thankfully, the conversation in the cafeteria was far less tense. The Scholar was slowly picking away at his food, cautiously eating as he watched Ruby consume cookie after cookie. He was at a loss for words, partially because he wasn't used to the light-hearted mood around him, and partially because the girl before him was on plate number 3. Honestly, the Scholar had no clue how she could eat so much. Unless that was normal, and it's just a quirk of this world.

"Hmm? Do you want one?" Ruby noticed the man's gaze, and immediately offered one of her many plates. "They're really good!"

"No thank you." He responded simply, his gaze turning over to Port, watching as the older man consumed more pork than Ruby did cookies. Yeah, probably just a quirk of this world. He went back to his own plate of food, not even half finished as he poked at the ribs with a fork.

"Oh, okay then. So what do you usually eat, anyways? I don't think I saw any snacks in that adventure-y bag you showed us earlier."

"I don't." Immediately after speaking it, the Scholar realized how odd that answer was. It wasn't something he thought about before; after all, when talking supplies, it usually meant potions and catalysts. Food never really came up, unless it was pet food, and neither did sleeping supplies. "... Nor did I sleep, now that I think about it."

"That's WEIRD." Ruby's sudden words earned her a curious glance from their teacher escort, and she immediately finished off her cookie so she could explain. "He says he doesn't eat or sleep. Isn't that weird?" How could something not eat or sleep? The girl hadn't heard of any huntsman or hero or anything from legend that didn't need to eat or sleep. Except... "Are you a robot?"

"... No." His voice was deadpan. Still, she raised a valid point. Hall had a few theories, most of them related to this being an entirely different world. "It's probably because I was a hero, and something related to the world tree? Who knows. Either way, I probably have to eat and sleep now."

"Huh. Okay then!" And with that, Ruby concluded the conversation. She really didn't let the small stuff bother her.

Which was fine, but now the Scholar was bored again. Despite what he said, he felt no need to eat the food before him. Rather than feeling hunger, he was in an odd state of being not hungry and not full. And not grammar, it seems. Rather than dwell on it, he decided to do something more productive. "Hey Ruby, do you mind showing me a few common words in your language? And the alphabet, I guess."

"Okay!" It took her all of two seconds to finish her current plate of cookies. Setting the empty plate aside, she took out a pen and a napkin, pondering exactly what to write on it beyond the alphabet. After a few moments, she finally settled on her name, as well as the name of her new teammates and friends. "Let's start off with my name! Ruby Rose! These letters are R... U... B-"

"Wait a minute." His serious tone did not match the friendly-tutor tone that Ruby adopted. "Did you say that R, U, and B are all letters?"

"Uhh... Yeah?"

"Let me see that pen and paper for a moment."

Ruby handed her stationary to the Scholar, and the young man immediately wrote the alphabet of his language right below Remnant's. A shocked expression dawned on his face, and even Port couldn't help but send a curious glance his way. Hall began writing something else on the paper, using the strange symbols that Remnant's language seemed to be based on. After he finished, he handed the napkin back to Ruby. "... Does this spell Valkyrie?" It was the only other word he could think of offhand.

"Lemmie che- Hey, it does! You're learning the language already!"

The Scholar's expression darkened as he confirmed his thoughts. It was obvious that he couldn't learn the language used in the world of Remnant in such a short span of time. He gave a serious look to Ruby, pausing for just a moment before finally speaking his mind. "I didn't learn it. For some reason, my language maps to your language perfectly."

Just what was going on?


	12. The Night Before

**Chapter 12**  
 **The Night Before**

* * *

Ruby wasn't too sure what she was supposed to do now. After the little revelation at the cafeteria, it had taken Hall half an hour to familiarize himself with Remnant's written language. After he did that, he immediately returned to Ozpin. Ruby wasn't too sure what they had talked about, since the two communicated through writing, and she didn't have a chance to translate anything. By the end of it, the headmaster gave Hall his own Scroll, and informed Ruby that she didn't need to follow the hall monitor around anymore.

At least Hall had the decency to tell her what he planned to do now, though that didn't amount to anything. Since he could read the language, the man decided to visit the school's library. And since he could communicate with messages on his Scroll, Ruby's translation ability wasn't needed anymore. This meant that she could return to her team and prepare for classes tomorrow, since they needed to set up house rules and such.

Which was why she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do.

Upon returning to their dorm room, Ruby saw her two of her three teammates in varying states of distress. Weiss and Blake were down, and she couldn't see Yang anywhere. They gave Ruby a half-hearted greeting, but judging from the way Blake listlessly flipped through books, as well as how enamoured Weiss was with her unpacked luggage, the red girl knew something had happened.

"Is... Is everything okay?" There wasn't much else she could do but ask.

"We had an argument with your sister." Blake answered the team leader, giving Ruby a listless glance before she turned back to her book. It had been a few hours since the argument, and her mind was just as muddled now as it was then. She tried to lose herself in her books, but all she saw were nothing more than words on a page. She was far too distracted, and finally decided to put her book down. "Don't worry about it. It was just a difference of opinions."

The look on Ruby's face told Blake that the girl would be worrying about it far into the night. Taking a soft sigh, she decided to alleviate her concerns, finally explaining what happened. "We were just arguing about the... hall monitor, I guess he's called. Your sister was worried about leaving you alone with him, since he attacked you before." Ruby flinched a bit at that, but continued listening. "I tried to explain that he didn't mean to, and that he deserves a second chance... What do you think?" The black-haired girl threw the question to Ruby, wondering exactly where she stood.

"Well, he isn't a bad person or anything. And it's not like he hurt me on purpose." Ruby honestly wasn't too sure what the big deal was. He was lost and confused and dumped into an unknown world. It wasn't that big of a problem that she was nearly... Killed. She nearly died. Sure, it was easy to ignore since she was unconscious in Valhalla for most of it, but... the girl let out a sigh, her hand falling to the spot in her stomach where she had been icicle'd. And yet, despite everything..."He's trying to make up for it, so isn't that enough? It was a bad situation for everyone."

"H-Hey, that's not fair! You're not supposed to turn my sister against me." Yang's sudden interruption marked her return to the room, her eyes falling to Ruby. She approached her sister, pulling the girl into another hug. "... Can you blame me for worrying about her?"

Blake shook her head at Yang's question, setting her book aside as she looked at the blonde. "No, I can't... But do you really think he'll try anything?" It was a blatant question, and one that she was sure Yang had asked herself many times over.

"No... Honestly, I don't." She was hesitant to answer, though she didn't know why. Yang wasn't proud enough to ignore when she was wrong, and she thought through everything as much as the rest of her team did. The only excuse she could muster was that she was scared for her sister, but hearing the words from Ruby had been enough to settle her mind. "So I guess I'll calm down for now." And her mind was settled enough to recall the argument from before. She remembered the words Blake had spoke, but more importantly, she remember _how_ she spoke them. Yang couldn't help but wonder if her teammate was thinking about someone else when she talked about second chances. "And... Sorry about earlier."

"Don't worry about it." And just like that, it was settled. The girls all claimed a bed, resolving to unpack properly tomorrow. For now, they would brush up and take their long-awaited sleep.

* * *

"Atlas." Oobleck's voice was clear and concise as he read the word. It was a curious task, but not one he shied away from, as the man was eager to help this individual learn the words of Remnant. "Vytal. Vale. Mistral." It was also a simple task, where he'd simply read off the words Hall pointed out to him. The young man would then parrot them until he was comfortable with the term, and resume reading.

And read he did. From Ozpin's explanation earlier, Hall considered himself a scholar, and the rate at which he consumed books only lent to that assertion. The first two books he had read were children's books to acquaint himself with the language and grammar. The next was an information pamphlet on Grimm. Then metallurgy, then botany. Now, he was reading through a geography textbook with ease. Bartholomew could only wish for students as dedicated as this one; he had caught more than a few sleepers in his class before.

"Svsod."

If only his ability to speak the language matched his ability to read it. Oobleck shook his head at Hall's attempt, looking at the young man as he repeated the words. While it was fulfilling to teach a student, it was disheartening to see absolutely no progress.

"Atlas."

"Svsod."

And that's when Bartholomew noticed something odd. The sounds that Hall had made were ... wrong. Not in the sense of him being incorrect, but rather the fact that it didn't match the motion of his lips. By all accounts, he should at least be speaking something with two syllables, but it didn't match up in the slightest. This time, he took out his Scroll, pointing it at the young man urging him to speak once more.

"Again. Atlas."

"Sihwy. Akdcz."

And now it made even less sense. He was sure the man tried to parrot both words, but if that was the case, why did Atlas sound so different from the first time he uttered it? Did it have something to do with the fact that he came from another world? After all, while he wasn't present for the explanation, he had heard all he needed to from Ozpin. And based on what his Scroll told him, whatever fueled him in the previous world was converted haphazardly to Aura, with the machine spitting out garbage instead of an aura level. This was intriguing information, and Bartholomew decided to share it.

"Whatever your equivalent of aura is, it seems to be interfering with aura." Oobleck started writing on an empty notebook, his gaze fixed on the odd readings on his Scroll. "You should read up on aura and see if you can't figure out why." Of course, he wanted to help, but the teacher had no idea how aura was involved, only that it was related to whatever else Hall had. And he had been present when Hall was tossing icicles, so he knew the young man had something else besides aura. Passing the note to the young man, Oobleck took one of the many books laid on the shelves and handed it to him.

"This should help with your readings. In fact, I recommend you collect your books for the day. It is getting late, and your duties as hall monitor begin tomorrow. I trust Ozpin has informed you of them?" Bartholomew turned to communication via Scroll, quickly typing the words as fast as he could normally speak, before giving the young man a curious glance.

It took a moment for the Scholar to comprehend the words, but he finally gave the professor a nod in response. Gathering his books, he was escorted out of the library, as Oobleck led him to his room, assigned by the staff. It was closer to the quarters used by the faculty rather than students, and was suspiciously close to the headmaster in particular, but the Scholar acknowledged it as them keeping tabs on him. Not like he would do anything.

At least, not until he figured out how Aura and Spiritual Power were related. It seems tonight will be a sleepless night. Hopefully, he still didn't need it.

* * *

It was a sleepless night for more than one person. A certain young heiress was currently in the midst of watching her teammates sleep, her vision flickering from Blake to Ruby to Yang, only to rest on her own hands. Something had been gnawing at her for the past day, and while it was suppressed by the argument from earlier, the silent night did nothing but bring out her worries in earnest.

Granted, the argument didn't help either. Weiss was certain she recognized the odd face that Blake made. It was a familiar sensation, born from something she knew intimately: self doubt. She had no idea why the girl had that look, since she was the most well-adjusted member on the team. Ruby was still so childish, even with her new task of acting translator, and Yang had proven to be more impulsive than anything else. Of course, it was hard for Weiss to say if she was better, but at least she tried to keep it under control. That's how she had been taught, and it was through discipline that she managed to stay clear headed when everyone else on the team was so obviously disturbed.

And all that brought her mind back to the big question. Why was she not made leader? Why was it that Ruby was somehow qualified when she was not? Was it truly based on her meeting with the odd man? That was the only logical explanation she could think of, but the girl couldn't believe Ozpin would make a decision that lasted 4 years based purely on a chance encounter.

Even now, as she looked at the sleeping girl in her bed, all she saw was a child. She was unkempt, had no grace while she slept, and even made these odd giggling sounds every so often, no doubt the result of whatever childish dream was currently entertaining her. And even if Weiss wasn't qualified, surely there had to have been a better choice than Ruby? Maybe not Yang, but the girl felt that, at the very least, Blake was a better decision.

But that doesn't matter anymore, does it? The decision was already made. Letting out a tired sigh, Weiss tried to push her thoughts aside, settling back into her bed. Hopefully, her classes tomorrow would make her forget how silly Ozpin's decision was. Who knows, maybe Ruby won't be a child for once, and show some leader material.


	13. The First Day

**Chapter 13**  
 **The First Day**

* * *

The day started off far less dramatically than before, with a certain young heiress waking up to the comforting sensation of the morning sun. She was tempted to sleep in for a moment longer, but Weiss Schnee had enough discipline to dispel that notion, and with a tired groan, she began to collect herself. Today would be a-

GETTUP. At least, that's what she assumed the mysterious whistling sound was trying to tell her. She didn't have the time to question it, as the shrill sound was immediately accompanied by an equally grating voice. "Goooood morning Team RWBY!" Standing proudly above Weiss was her team leader, grinning childishly with a whistle clasped in her hand.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Was this just her? After all, Weiss only heard her own voice yell out in indignation.

"Now that you're awake, we can officially begin our first order of business." Ruby would have none of her silly questions, it seems. Instead of explaining why she was striking a pose, the rest of her teammates followed up on her statement, all while ignoring the confused _excuse me?!_ from Weiss.

"Decorating!"  
"We still have to unpack."

Well, it wasn't the worst thing that could happen. Too tired to complain, and already sick of Ruby's incessant whistling, the lady in white finally agreed, and they ended up spending the better part of the morning arranging and rearranging their room. It was only after the precarious construction of their "bunk beds" that the girls took notice of the time.

"WHAT? Did you say 9 o'clock?" Well, technically, it was Weiss who took notice of the time first, but that still counted. "It's 8:55 you dunce!"

And with that, she sped out the door. It took a few minutes for Team RWBY to realize what had happened, peeking out the room of their dorm. Through a twist of fate, their friends in Team JNPR had the dorm room across from theirs, and the familiar faces of Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren peeked out at that exact moment. Silence hung in the air, the teenagers mentally processing their situation before Ruby's voice awkwardly sounded out.

"T-to class!"

And with that, the rest of Team RWBY sped off, with Team JNPR trailing far behind.

* * *

Glynda idly checked her watch, a tired look in her eyes as she followed the sight of 8 teenagers speeding through the courtyard. She hadn't expected them to be late on the first day, but what could she do? They were merely huntsmen and huntresses in training. It might be a problem later down the line, but for now, she simply sighed, throwing a tired glance at her companion.

Ozpin, on the other hand, was unperturbed by the rushing students, merely sparing a glance before his attention turned to his coffee. He had other things to worry about it, and he needed the coffee to deal with it. After all, rather than the students, there was one young man in particular that he needed to discipline.

"Glynda, I'd like to confirm one thing. Mr. Hall did not report to you before leaving his quarters today. Is that correct?"

"That's correct, Ozpin." It was odd, considering the young man in question showed such willingness to cooperate the day before. However, they had not seen hide nor hair of him since then. He was supposed to report to one of the staff for his duties, and yet, none of the teachers mentioned anything. At the same time, the skeleton security staff they had on hand didn't report any abnormalities beyond Port's usual Bullhead hijackings, so Glynda was worried what this meant.

"Has Bartholomew sent any word?" It was time to ask about his trusted web of contacts. Ozpin took another sip from his cup, his gaze drifting to the academy as his eyes drifted from class to class.

"He hasn't seen our problem student anywhere." Glynda checked through her scroll once again. All of the staff who responded all said they saw no trace of the "student". There were only a few people Glynda could think of who would be so brazen as to ignore orders the day after they were assigned. Especially after returning his bag as a gesture of good faith.

Not that his bag contained much besides books and miscellaneous junk. Everything remotely resembling a weapon had been confiscated, which amounted to one primitive sword and a few ornate daggers. Everything else was either clothing, books, or... stuff he foraged from the forest? Who knows.

"Hmm. And what of Peter?" Ozpin's gaze stopped at one particular spot of the academy building, squinting for a moment, his voice snapping Glynda out of her thoughts.

"He hasn't mentioned anything about Hall either." It took a few moments to bring them up, but the female teacher read over the two messages left by their colleague once more. The first was at 6 in the morning, where Peter informed them that he would be collecting specimens from the forest. The second came two hours later, where he informed them that he had returned... "... As well as thanks for lending him the assistance of such a skilled trapper?" She had skimmed over the message earlier, since it didn't seem relevant, but Glynda threw an inquisitive glance at Ozpin.

Ozpin took a sigh as he brought his mug up once more, pausing for just a moment to answer her unspoken question. "No... I don't believe we have a trapper on staff. I don't believe anyone besides peter even uses that term." And with that, he emptied the mug, before turning to the school. "I suppose we'll have to drop by his classroom and see if he's recruited our friend."

* * *

"You four are lucky that I'm in such a good mood today." The jovial voice of a certain middle-aged teacher was the first to greet Team RWBY as they entered the room. All eyes were on them as they paused in embarrassment. They were only 5 minutes late... it wasn't that big a deal, right? Still, professor Port was kind enough to let them off with a simple warning. "But do try to manage your time better in the future." And with that, he turned back to the class, watching the four huntresses take their seats as he began his lecture in earnest.

"Psst. Hey Ruby, isn't that your friend? What's he doing here?" Yang noticed the young man standing at the corner. Rather than seated like a student, he seemed to be acting as a teaching assistant, and no one paid him any mind as he stood at attention. "I thought they would've made him a student."

"Weren't you the one who wanted to tear his throat just a day ago?" Weiss was surprised by the blonde's sudden change of heart.

"Yeah, but if Ruby, the teachers, and even Blake trusts him, I'd look like a jerk for keeping it up, wouldn't I?" Yang replied in a care-free smile. Honestly, there was little doubt that she and Ruby were related.

"A-HEM." Their conversation was cut short by the professor, and after staring down the girls for a moment, he turned back to the class once more, his voice changing from annoyed to flamboyantly over-the-top. "As I was saying... Monsters! Deeeemons. Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of grimm have many names..."

And with that, he went back to his lecture, content on spouting exposition. The four kingdoms, the existence of grimm, the fact that the world consists only of said kingdoms and infinite grimm... All stuff they learned before, really. There was a disturbing part where he winked at Yang, but besides that, the lecture was less a learning experience and more of an exercise in talking. For the professor.

Great. Now he's talking about his life story.

To her credit, Weiss Schnee tried to listen to the Huntsman's lecture. After all, they were in Beacon, and it was a student's responsibility to learn as much as they could. Perhaps there had been some hidden story behind okay what is that scribbling sound? Annoyance was plastered on the girl's face as she turned to the source, only to see their illustrious team leader scribbling a childish caricature of their teacher. Rather than trying to take her job seriously, she giggled wholeheartedly while she was goofing off.

This little outburst was quieted by Port once more, but the incident stuck in Weiss's mind. At least, more than the exaggerated bow he gave after telling his little story. After all, according to their teacher, a huntsman must be honourable. Dependable. Strategic, well educated, and wise. All of these traits were what defined a true huntsman. And it was because of these words that had Weiss at her limits as she watched Ruby... be Ruby.

"So. Who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

That was a challenge, and Weiss would take it. Unlike Ruby, she had the education. She went through hardships to make it here in beacon. And at least _she was trying to pay attention to the class_. At that question, Weiss raised her hand. "I do, sir!"

There was a slight pause, and the students in the class could've sworn they heard Professor Port's tone change. "Well then. Let's find out." He gave an ominous eyebrow, turning to the spot where his assistant stood. The class followed his gaze, and were surprised to see the young man push in a darkened cage, his face devoid of expression as he stared back at them. Their attention shifted from the person to the cage, as ominous snarls began emanating from within. Finally, the class's view turned back to Weiss, as Port confirmed everything.

"Gather your equipment, step forward, and face your opponent." The professor gave one final gesture to the cage, the red eyes within staring back at the teacher, the metal bending as something slammed against it.

* * *

The Scholar was... amused by the lecture. Today had been an interesting turn of events, and if the sight before him was any indication, it would not be ending anytime soon. It was both entertaining and informative, and the fact that he stood in this hall was the result of pure unbridled luck.

As he expected, the Scholar only needed a minimal amount of sleep, so he had spent most of the night reading various textbooks, especially the one on Aura. From what he learned and observed, Aura was closely related to his Spiritual Power, as it embodied the concept of life. Just as he was born from the World Tree, so too was everything in Remnant tied to Aura. He had suspected that his communication problems were something more fundamental than a language issue, so he had intended to do some experiments.

Being a Scholar, he had the nifty technique of Soul Siphon. It was fairly innocuous in his world, as it was merely a method of draining a target's spiritual power, taking it as his own. If Aura and Spiritual Power were related, and if his problems were aura-based...

Well, that's why Professor Port had found him in the Emerald forest so early in the morning.

The teacher had not noticed the dead foliage near the Scholar, as he was more curious why the hall monitor was out here in the first place. However, the man came to his own conclusions when a wild Boarbatusk charged in only to be imprisoned by the Scholar's Fiber Lock. Magical webbing wrapped up the poor creature, keeping it in place long enough for the young man to skewer it with more magic.

"Oh, so Ozpin sent you to help me? Capital!" Professor Port nodded approvingly as he watched Hall deal with the Boarbatusk. It was certainly efficient, and it only took a few moments of observation to figure out how it worked. "And with such a useful Semblance. My boy, I think I could use someone of your talents."

The Scholar only smiled at those words. Not because the man's words were incomprehensible, but because they _weren't_. Absorbing aura seemed to help, and while he didn't understand the science behind it, he didn't need to. Having Port was the perfect cover, and he willingly followed the older huntsman as they went about their business in the Emerald Forest, trapping various creatures of grimm. Each time an interesting grimm appeared, the professor would ask him to lay down his trap, giving the Scholar plenty of time to cast a few other spells. He could Soul Siphon the ground where he planted his Fiber Lock without looking suspicious.

And when Port was occupied with forcing the grimm into cages, Hall had another chance to siphon aura. After all, people pay more attention to grimm populations than wildlife, and nobody would miss a tree or two. He'd just need to make sure the tree was "collateral damage", caused by a "rampaging grimm" first.

The two hours he spent in the forest were fruitful, and he happily followed Port as they made their way back to the academy grounds.

Considering how productive this morning was, Hall didn't expect to participate in such a useful lecture. Still, he was sure the students weren't as welcoming of basic information as he was, but that wasn't really his problem. The Scholar had many things to learn about this world, and the more things presented to him, the better.

Huh. And now, it seems that one of the students will be giving him more information. He turned his gaze to the lady in white as she stepped forward, ignoring the glare she shot his way. From what he could tell, the mage from yesterday had intended to challenge one of the grimm he had helped capture.

Let's see how she does.


	14. The First Burden

**Chapter 14**  
 **The First Burden**

* * *

"Gooo Weiss!"  
"Fight well!"  
"Yeah! Represent Team RWBY!"

The three girls not participating in the duel were quite lively, much to the chagrin of the one who was. She threw an annoyed glare at the last speaker, attempting to quell her enthusiasm. "Ruby! I'm trying to focus!"

Ignoring the girl's muted apology, Weiss turned back to face the cage. It was far larger than she expected, and judging by the smug expression on the teacher's face, it contained something appropriately challenging. Port's voice sounded out, giving one confirmation as he drew his blunderbuss-axe thing.

"Alright! Let the match... begin!"

And with that, he destroyed the cage's lock. With the cage now open, the Ursa within let out an angry snarl. It was free, and it immediately targeted the first thing it saw: Weiss. It swung its arm forward, tossing the cage door at the girl, before sprinting after the metal projectile. The heiress nimbly dodged to the side, avoiding the chunk of metal as she turned to face the charging grimm. With unexpected speed, it sped forward, barely missing the young huntress-in-training as she twirled once more, her weapon pinging harmlessly off of the monster's hide.

Unable to control its inertia, the Ursa skidded into the wall, leaving a visible imprint against the room. Weiss had only a moment to collect herself as she steadied her stand, Myrtenaster pointed at the massive grimm. An angry roar echoed through the room as the Ursa pulled itself from the wall, facing the huntress in training once more.

It was pissed, and its prey was right there.

The first to comment on the Ursa was Professor Port, giving a curious glance to his assistant "That's odd. I was sure I prepared a boarbatusk today." Hall merely shook his head, earning a non-committal shrug from the teacher as his attention turned back to Weiss.

"No matter. One must expect anything and everything on the field of battle!" It almost sounded like the man enjoyed the show before him, as both the huntress and grimm gave him a stare. That pause lasted for only a moment, however, as the beast resumed its charge. It gave two massive slashes, one after another, its arms coming down with surprising speed as its attacks tore through the air. Weiss parried the first strike, using the momentum to duck out of the way of the second one. Another angry roar.

"Hang in there, Weiss! You can do it!" Coupled with a cheering girl. Ruby's sudden interruption earned her a glare from her partner. Which the grimm capitalized on.

Now down on all fours, the Ursa charged forward, its head slamming into Weiss's weapon, knocking it out of her grasp as she fell back a few meters. A well-timed glyph saved the girl from a painful landing, and she immediately sped to the side before the charging beast could finish the job.

The Ursa was ready for the dodge this time, digging one arm into the ground as it pivoted, leaving a huge gash on the tiles as it turned to face Weiss. This time, the beast brought up both arms, an ominous gleam in its eye. Team RWBY immediately dove out of their seats, getting away just in time as the Ursa struck downwards. A massive shockwave shot through the air, leaving a trail of broken tiles as it struck the front row of desks where they sat moments ago.

Before it could pursue its new quarry, a blast of ice hit it, freezing it in place as a frozen flower locked its feet to the ground. In one fluid motion, Weiss backflipped into the air, charging a glyph by her feet as she dove forward, thrusting Myrtenaster into the grimm's eye. The weapon loaded itself with red dust, glowing with power as the white lady slashed to the side, wrenching her weapon free from the Ursa's head, leaving a flaming gash where its eye used to be.

With one final roar, the beast fell over, burning away into nothingness.

"Bravo! Good show! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress-in-training." Ignoring the sudden Ursa, Port merely applauded Weiss, as if the lesson had gone according to plan all along. He gave a listless glance to the side, eyes falling on two more cages, before letting out a sigh. "But, it appears that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings. And stay vigilant. Class dismissed!"

"Yeah, good job Weiss!" As soon as Professor Port ended the lecture, Weiss found herself the new owner of a Ruby belt, as her hyperactive team leader latched onto her waist. "I knew you could do it!"

"Get _OFF_ of me!" The heiress had reached her limit. Why was this child her leader? All she did throughout the class was doodle, ignoring the lecture. Throughout the battle, her loud cheers were distracting moreso than anything, and it was through sheer luck that she didn't try spouting obvious tactics. Without another word, Weiss pried Ruby off of her, pushing the girl aside as she stormed out of the room.

There was an awkward silence. Ruby's eyes were downcast, watching her companion leave. The rest of the class soon emptied out, leaving team RWBY standing alone before they forced themselves out as well.

A heavy sigh sounded from Port as he watched the girls leave. He thought for just a moment, before turning to his assistant. "Do you mind disposing of those grimm for me? I believe it's time for this old man to act as a mentor." Receiving a nod from Hall, Professor Port left through the side door, making his way to one of the viewing balconies.

* * *

"Ozpin made a mistake."

While they did need to find Hall, Ozpin and Glynda heard something far more pressing. A little red girl wore a downcast expression on her face, her hand stretched out to her teammate, unable to do anything as Ruby watched Weiss storm away. The headmaster gave his colleague a nod, urging Glynda onward as he walked over to the young leader. By the time Ruby had turned around, the female teacher was out of sight, leaving only Ozpin with his mug and cane.

"Hmm. Now that didn't seem to go very well." The headmaster gave a neutral glance as his eyes fell on Ruby, the little girl worried eyes gazing back at him.

"Is she right? Did you make a mistake?"

Glynda knew that Ozpin could handle whatever worries the young lady had. She continued forward, her eyes falling to the other half of the issue, watching as Weiss approached the balcony. Seeing Peter situated there, the female teacher gave out a sigh of relief, knowing full well that the situation was most assuredly handled. The teacher turned around, intent on making her way back to her original destination, Peter's lecture room. However, the sight of two worried members of Team RWBY stopped her advance.

They gave her a cautious look, not wanting to ask the question on the tip of their tongue. Glynda's face softened, her eyes drifting from Yang to Blake. "You two needn't worry. This fight is something the two of them will sort out on their own." Her gaze shifted to Ruby and Ozpin, watching the young leader's expression gradually change. "And they're receiving help from two capable mentors."

"Yeah... But things have been tense lately. We're just worried, you know?" Yang was the first to speak up, voicing her doubts. This was a matter between Ruby and Weiss, but the blonde was unsure if her sister was able to approach it properly. "Ruby's got a lot on her plate... and I guess we didn't exactly help." She gave a sheepish grin to Blake, apparently content on burying their old argument.

"Yes, I believe you were quite vocal with your opinions on yesterday's matter." The female teacher raised a hand, pushing her glasses up as she let out a sigh. "I sympathize with your worries, truth be told. In fact, I'm on my way to something related to that problem. Again, you need not worry about your friends; Ozpin and Peter have things under control."

"If you say so." Blake spoke up this time, nodding at Glynda's admission. They really weren't in a position to do anything else, after all. Setting that matter aside, something else came to Blake's mind. "... Did you say problem?"

"Yes. It seems Hall has gone missing." The teacher's tone fell. She took out her Scroll, looking through the messages one last time, trying to find some trace of where the young man was. But based on Peter's last message, she was all but certain..."

"Oh, we saw him helping Professor Port out! I think he's still in the class room." Yang chirped up, glad that they were at least able to help with something. Though... the fact that Glynda didn't know where he was gave the girl some doubt. Especially since he was probably the one put in charge of cleaning up the remaining grimm cages. "... Mind if we tag along?"

"Very well." Glynda's response was quick, knowing full well that the man was related to Team RWBY. There was no point in keeping them in the dark when it came to managing the young man. "Follow me."

* * *

The Boarbatusk had fallen handily. It was a simple matter of Fiber Lock and Fire Bolt, and the Scholar wasted no effort with their execution.

What occupied him at the moment was the Beowolf that the teacher kept in the other cage. From what he remembered of the lecture earlier, it was an Alpha Beowolf, and its agility cemented that fact. Of course, it was a simple matter to burn away the beast the same manner he had the Boarbatusk, but the mage's fight from earlier gave the Scholar second thoughts.

Honestly, he was surprised. Her motions were fluid, and she didn't falter when he had swapped the grimm. The teenagers here all looked like they had received formal training of some kind, and the way the lady in white responded only confirmed that fact.

It was obvious his fighting style paled in comparison to the locals of Remnant. He was not used to avoiding blows the same way they were, and his past experience in Rune-Midgard meant nothing. His only saving grace was that his physical stats were respectable, owing to his hybrid support build. However, in order to improve, the young man needed something in a contained environment to better himself.

That's why he was staring down the Alpha Beowolf. Twenty minutes had passed since he released the creature, and it had been twenty minutes of getting used to his reflexes. With each swing, the young man ducked out of the way, growing more and more accustomed to his body. He had been caught by those razor-sharp claws a few times, but his body showed no visible wounds; like always, he only knew of his damage internally.

And it was with his gloves that he continued onward. They still granted him the ability to heal, though at a far steeper price now that the force of the world tree had withered from them. His Spiritual Power consumption was far higher than he anticipated, but it was still manageable for the purposes of his test.

Like him, his opponent showed no signs of tiring, the Beowolf's attacks as ferocious as they were when he first released the beast. The floor and walls were riddled with gashes, an indication of the two's lengthy melee. One more was added to the floor as the monster let out a frustrated howl, unable to connect with the robed man.

"What is going on here?" A voice suddenly rang out, taking the attention of the Scholar for just a moment. In that time, the Beowolf pressed its advantage, slashing at the man's torso. In response, the Scholar twisted to the side in pain, before launching a shard of ice directly into the beast's arm. This action stunned it long enough for two more bolts to follow through, quickly forcing the Alpha Beowolf back.

This moment of reprieve gave the Scholar a chance to glare at the source of the voice, only to spot a very annoyed Glynda as she glared back into the room. He quickly changed his tone, firing off a Frost Diver to freeze his opponent in place, locking the beowolf in a shell of ice. He concluded the battle with a few more frost bolts, skewering the beast as it faded into nothingness.

"...You'd better have a good explanation." Glynda stared down the man, forgetting for just a moment that he didn't understand their words. She quickly took out her Scroll, intent on messaging him her words before she received a surprising text.

"I can explain."

Did this mean he understood their words just fine? When did this happen? Looking up from the Scroll, she stared at the man dubbed Hall, narrowing her eyes. "Talk."

Rather than talk, the Scholar explained that he was helping Port with classes, leaving out the part where he was picked up by the man in the middle of the Emerald Forest. His duties merely involved trapping some grimm for the middle-aged man, and standing by in case something happened during the lecture. For the most part, this lined up with what Glynda knew of Peter. However, that did leave one thing unexplained.

"And the fact that you now understand us?"

This time, the Scholar sent a text containing his theories about Aura. As before, he omitted some less-than-good information, as there was no need to tell the people of Remnant he had the ability to siphon aura. Instead, he suggested that the food he consumed, as well as the air he breathed contained enough aura to mix with his body. Based on Glynda's expression, she was inclined to believe that theory.

"In that case, I have no further questions on this matter." She put away her scroll, sighing for just a moment as she surveyed the room's damage. Unfortunately, it was par the course for Peter, and the addition of the Beowolf that Hall was playing with meant little in the long run. Honestly, she was surprised that there was just one massive hole in the wall. "I shall contact maintenance shortly.

"You girls can run along now." Glynda turned her attention back to the two remaining members of Team RWBY. "Unless you have something you wish to ask of Hall. It seems his language deficiency has partially resolved itself."

Yang paused for just a moment, looking up at Glynda, then back at the young man. A grin grew on her face as the blonde spoke out. "Say... You don't mind if we spar for a bit, do you? I still need to pay him back for what happened to Ruby."

Blake merely brought a hand up to her head, letting out a tired sigh.


	15. Burn

**Chapter 15**  
 **Burn**

* * *

Glynda couldn't help but give Yang an odd look. Truth be told, she was worried whether the blonde huntress would accept Ozpin's appointment of the man who had nearly killed Ruby. While she did say she had accepted it, Glynda knew full well that there was still plenty of lingering ... anger? Rage? Pent up angry-older-sister indignation? Either way, the teacher wasn't too sure how to address Yang's concerns.

Until now.

"If both parties agree to it, then I see no reason why you two are unable to spar." Glynda gave a look to Hall, her stare boring into him. "After all, I understand that Miss Xiao Long has been anxious to ... resolve the incident between you, her, and her sister."

It didn't take a genius to understand the subtext.

The Scholar simply nodded, knowing full well that this would happen sooner or later. Truth be told, he was fairly certain that he would lose this bout. His healing supplies have dwindled, both in potency and number, so it would be a question of endurance. The mobility of the _mage_ of their group was already surprising, so he could only imagine how much. He had 20 minutes of practice against an angry werewolf, while the teenagers here have been doing this all their lives. His goal wouldn't be to win, but to last long enough for the girl to lose interest.

So that meant he had to plan for survival. He had a few tricks, but it was no secret that he relied heavily on the items he had brought from Rune-Midgard. The young man took out his Scroll, relaying a question to the instructor with one hand while the other retreated into his bag, taking inventory of his remaining supplies. His plans would hinge on their usage, which worried him since they were in such limited supply.

"...Item restrictions?" Glynda read the man's question in response, thinking on it for just a moment before looking back at him. "Anything you wish to use will have to be cleared by the staff." That much should've been obvious, so the teacher gave the man a curious glance. "With that said, do you have any combat equipment?" She remembered the confiscated items that Ozpin had retrieved from the man's bag: a few archaic blades were the only things that could really be classified as weapons. Everything else consisted of books, clothing, and random mysterious knick-knacks. "Besides what we confiscated, I mean."

He shook his head at that question. He had nothing remotely comparable to what the locals here used, but the Scholar was certain he didn't need it. All he needed was a replacement for his catalysts. In fact, he decided to ask about that, quickly sending another message to Glynda. He wasn't too sure if the concepts carried over, but the terms "consumable", "elemental", and "enhance aura" were the best things he could relate them to.

The teacher read his next question, giving him a look before letting out a tired sigh. "... I suppose we do have dust set aside for student use. Since you assisted with Peter's duties today, I'm sure Ozpin won't mind if you were issued some. Follow me."

* * *

Yang Xiao Long was anxious. Here she was, standing in one of Beacon's many combat arenas, waiting patiently for the target of her revenge to finish his preparations. Well, revenge might not be the best way to describe it, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't want to punch him. To his credit, the man did seem to make amends with her sister, which only worried Yang further. To say Ruby was a bundle of idealistic goodness would be putting it mildly, and the blonde worried that her sister was too quick with her acceptance.

There were plenty of other frustrations the girl had to vent, too. The way Ozpin instantly accepted the man, the way Ruby accepted a shared hallucination or something, the fact that Port's stories were boring... This little sparring match would be a nice outlet for her. She checked over her weapon one last time, fitting and refitting Ember Celica on her arm as she checked her ammunition. Yep, still ready. Just like it had been five minutes ago.

"No need to be on edge." That voice came from her new partner, who undoubtedly noticed her impatience. Blake's expression was neutral, focus shifting between Yang and her book, sitting patiently in one of the viewing seats as she read.

"I'm not on edge, I'm boooored. How long does it take to gather a bunch of dust?" She knew it was a bit more than that, since the man she would be fighting was essentially learning about dust for the first time. And she couldn't complain too much, since she was the one who suggest he learn it in the first place.

"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to fight him without handicaps?" And her partner reaffirmed her thoughts, giving the blonde girl an amused expression. "Besides, we're done most of our classes for the day. You can afford to wait."

Yang's rebuttal was cut short when she noticed Glynda and Hall step onto the arena. _Finally._ Now they could get this over and done with.

"There seems to be no complications with the Aura Tracking software..." Glynda spoke, more to herself than anything as she activated the arena systems. Looking at the two combatants, the teacher spoke her signature lecturer voice, announcing the rules of engagement. "I don't think I need to remind either of you, but this is just a friendly spar. The screen above will track your aura levels, and this exhibition will end immediately once a person's aura levels drop below 15%. Do you two have any questions?"

Yang shook her head, and the Scholar followed suit. Glynda accepted their gestures, and began counting down. "Then this match shall begin in 5..."

* * *

This was good. The Scholar's aura had stabilized enough to match his Spiritual Power, so any decrease there would match a decrease in his aura levels. To keep up the facade, he activated Energy Coat, partially protecting his body with Spiritual Power. The hour he had been given was plenty of time to acquaint himself with dust, and he was confident he could use it in place of gemstones as a catalyst.

"...1. Begin!"

At those words, the Scholar threw down a Safety Wall. His earth dust flickered as a handful was cast onto the ground, its colour shifted from orange to pink, as a pillar of pure aura shot up, just in time to intercept the girl's charge as it blocked a very angry shotgun fist. He placed 5 more walls in rapid succession, one at the center of the arena and the other four at the cardinal edges; From above, the circular arena looked like the beginnings of a very pink clock face.

Yang brought a second punch forward, shattering the wall with one final slam. No longer hindered by the strange pink light, she cocked her weapon, launching her fist, and by extension herself, upwards in a trail of fire. Her target took the hit solidly, flying back a few meters as he landed on his back. It took him mere moments to jump back onto his feet, hiding himself in another one of those annoying pillars. The girl gave an annoyed tick, but pressed her attack.

The Scholar, on the other hand, was stunned. Looking at the aura indicator, he noticed something troubling: it had not tracked his Spiritual Power, as he had expected it to, but his very Health Points. As a result, it showed a decrease of 35% from that single hit, which matched the amount of damage he was sure he felt. Which was an odd thing to feel.

There was no time for that, however. He quickly dispelled his energy coat, no longer needing it as he retreated to another Safety Wall. From this one, he collected his spiritual power, bolts of ice forming in the air as he fired them off at the girl.

Yang, for the most part, punched them out of the air, her fists knocking them aside or shattering them entirely. However, the two bolts that made it through weren't negligible, as her aura level dropped by 12%.

Also, that _hurt_.

She clenched her teeth in anger, charging at the man once more, the sound of her weapon discharging as she fired off a him, wiping away the safety wall in one punch. Yang couldn't help but grin when she saw the surprised look in his eye.

And then she froze.

More accurately, the Scholar had fired off a Frost Diver, launching a shockwave of pure ice that exploded against the teenager. Either way, it enveloped her in ice, giving him just enough time to retreat to another safety wall before she broke out through sheer force of will. And anger. At least, he thought it was anger, though the battle-hungry grin she wore on her face gave mixed messages. Once again, he gathered ice, but the girl was ready for him this time.

Rather than anything fancy, Yang simply dodged past the bolts of ice. Sure, they were fast, but not that fast. What she couldn't avoid, she shot, firing blast after blast to counter the icicles heading her way. Loose clouds of mist were all that remained of the scholar's attacks, and Yang wasted no time in closing the distance once more. Her fist collided with the pink wall, tearing away the protective pillar as she aimed another attack at the man. To his credit, he was actually trying to defend this time, meeting her fist with... a book?

Surprisingly, the Scholar's encyclopedia was sturdy enough to take the blow, dampening the impact and earning looks of disbelieve from the two observers. Another 15% loss in his aura levels, but what was more surprising was what happened after. For a split second, he was bathed in green light, earning a look of momentary confusion from his foe. He had intended to drag this battle out as long as possible, so healing was a very valid strategy. Smiling at her reaction, the young man dashed away to the nex-

Yang recovered. More to the point, she was ready this time. Sure, she hadn't expected the sudden green light, but she knew her opponent had an annoying habit of ducking from pillar to pillar. She fired a salvo at the space between the man and the nearest pillar of light, a few shots catching him in midair before he finally retreated into that annoying light. Yang followed her shots soon after, giving him another shotgun fist, her weapon propelling her forward once more.

Honestly, the Scholar hadn't expected his strategy to last as long as it did, so he wasn't too surprised when by the sudden salvo. It was about time to change tactics anyways, and he gathered his power once more. This time, he made use of his water dust, turning it into a Blinding Mist, surrounding part of the arena in darkness as he watched the young woman charge in. With the darkness as cover, the Scholar fired off another Frost Diver, releasing the shockwave of ice at the teenager.

Yang Xiao Long was frozen once more. And she broke out once more, letting out an angry cry as she watched the man retreat into _another_ one of his stupid protecting light things.

Neither Glynda nor Blake knew what to make of the battle. However, based on the actions of the combatants, they were able to come to two definite observations:  
1\. Hall was only capable of ranged combat.  
2\. Yang was very straight forward.

It had been 5 minutes now, and the battle followed a familiar, if tiring pattern. Hall's strategy consisted of running around in circles while dropping fog and pink pillars. While inside those pillars, he'd attempt to freeze Yang, or fire off icicles to whittle her down. And that was it; he never once engaged in melee, nor did he ever use a weapon.

Yang's strategy was more straight forward, as it involved punching Hall, punching the pink light around Hall, or punching bullets at the spot where Hall was going to be. Beyond that, she made little positioning choices beyond dodging ice, and followed the young man around with increasing levels of frustration.

What concerned Glynda was how abnormal Hall's aura levels were. At first glance, the level of protection offered by it seemed below average when compared to other huntsmen in training. However, he had some way to restore it, which made absolutely no sense, since aura reserves were called reserves for a reason. Yet, throughout the battle, the man would invoke a mysterious green light, and his aura level would rise once again. The woman had many questions, but all she could do for now was watch the two spar.

Blake, on the other hand, only had one question. Would Yang tire before Hall ran out of dust? Honestly, she was surprised that her partner had lasted this long, considering she seemed to ignore strategy in favour of raw force. There was no question that the blonde girl was a skilled fighter, as she had kept her pace up despite her lack of tactics, but the arena's display informed everyone present that Yang was already half spent. With her partner's aura level currently at 48%, and her opponent's gravitating between 80%, 45%, and 76% again, Blake wasn't sure who would win.

At least, she wasn't sure until she noticed something. There were no more pink pillars dotting the arena.

* * *

"Hah! There we go!" Yang yelled her words, pointing at the man before her as she punched away the final column of light. "Finally ran out of dust, huh?!" She resisted the urge to cheer on the spot, relief washing over her as she saw no more of those annoying pink pillars. She still didn't understand how they blocked her attacks, but Yang was relieved when she finally saw that the man had stopped spreading earth dust everywhere.

Her mood was muted just a bit when she saw the noncommittal shrug that Hall gave, but she pushed aside her frustration. He was finally done being an annoyance, so maybe he'd take this fight seriously. I mean, besides those icicles, he hadn't actually attacked her. She expected punches or kicks or something when he said he didn't need a weapon. Yang didn't know whether to feel insulted or impressed. Still, that didn't matter now, since she was sure that she had cornered him.

And he certainly was cornered. The Scholar had ran out of earth dust, just as his opponent had predicted, which meant no more Safety Walls. He knew how much he relied on that spell, and would definitely have to change tactics now. Based on the girl's speed, he wasn't sure if he could avoid her punches. Conversely, she could avoid his ice bolts just fine, and he was certain his fire bolts would have the same lack-of-effect; This left one elemental bolt for him to use, which was disheartening because it was easily his weakest element.

Still, he had no choice. Gathering his Spiritual Power, the Scholar began forming yellow orbs of light around him. His opponent changed her stance instantly, recognizing the new attack, preparing to dodge out of the way of it even as she reloaded her weapon. Despite his incompatibility, the man had hoped there would, at the very least, be some effect. Once the spell was finished, he fired off a Lightning Bolt, sending electricity directly at the girl.

The aura display only showed a decrease of 6% for a direct hit, which was depressingly bad. Hall had expected it to do more than a single ice bolt, and yet, all it did was singe the girl's hair a bit.

Why was she surrounded by fire? And why were her eyes glowing red?


	16. A Lesson Learned

**Chapter 16**  
 **A Lesson Learned**

* * *

Surprising absolutely no one, Yang Xiao Long had won the match. More importantly, she had brought the man's aura levels from 76% to -2% in a single, burning strike, knocking him out instantly. Not only that, she had actually damaged the man, as his... vest-coat-thing was torn and stained with blood; a familiar wound matching the one he gave Ruby. Yang was sure she broke a few ribs with that last attack, so he wasn't as untouchable as he let on. Thankfully, he didn't seem to be injured too badly, though considering what the guy put her sister through, Yang felt that he was getting off lightly.

Still, the fact that the display showed -2% as his final aura level lightened Yang's mood enough for her not to care.

Glynda didn't share the student's sentiments, considering the girl had brought Hall's aura levels from "acceptable" to "negative". Aura reserves _aren't_ supposed to be negative. The teacher immediately made her way to the young man's unconscious body, making sure he wasn't seriously damaged. A quick glare at the student was more than enough for the teacher to show her displeasure, but that only lasted for a few moments. She had to accept that it wasn't Miss Xiao Long's fault that the man had lost so... suddenly. Still, the teacher couldn't help but give out a tired sigh.

"Miss Xiao Long... I won't reprimand you for your enthusiasm, but I hope that this will settle the differences between you and Mr. Hall."

Yang's paused for a moment, considering her response. After all, it did feel good to beat the guy's lights out, and he was clearly different if she compared now to when he accidentally attacked Ruby... "... Yeah, I guess we're square now. He knows there will be _Hall_ to pay if he hurts my sister again." The blonde seemed especially proud of her words as she spoke with a big grin.

Blake simply facepalmed, while Glynda gave a blank stare at the energetic student. Even Hall's unconscious body seemed to groan from that statement. The teacher's attention immediately shifted back to the unconscious man, and she took out her Scroll in order to contact the school's medical staff. That's when she noticed that she missed two messages, one from Professor Ozpin and one from... Hall. Huh.

The first was asking her to contact him once the spar had concluded, which Glynda planned to do once the young man was in the infirmary. Hall's message was a bit more unorthodox, as it essentially asked her to "Use the leaf in my bag on me when I lose". The message's timestamp told her that Hall had sent it a few moments before the match, when he had been preparing his supplies. It seems not even the young man was confident he would win against Miss Xiao Long. Glynda send her message to the medical staff, before turning her attention to the blonde student.

"Very well. It seems that neither side has any misgivings about this event, so I shall report that this little match has concluded." And with that, Glynda decided to fulfill Hall's request, reaching into the young man's bag to find one of those curious leaves. It took no more than a few moments before she retrieved one, her eyes resting on the strange bit of plant matter. Her gaze narrowed as she observed the green leaf.

Why did it have aura infused into it?

"Curious plant. I don't believe I've seen a specimen quite like it before." A familiar headmaster's voice suddenly rang out, drawing the attention of Blake, Yang, and Glynda. "Oh, don't mind me. I was merely observing Miss Xaio Long's... handiwork." He waved his hand dismissively, turning his head to one of the many holes and craters that now dotted the arena.

"Hey! Half those holes are his fault! Maybe more!" Yang's voice was far from formal, and she quickly caught on once she noticed Glynda's glare. "Erm... Sir."

"It's quite alright. I didn't mean to insinuate anything; I honestly was just observing." His face held no trace of ill-will as he smiled at the teenager, before turning to his colleague. "May I have a look at that?"

Glynda quickly complied, handing it to Ozpin as she relayed Hall's message from earlier. The female teacher wasn't sure whether to follow the young man's request, so she left it in the capable hands of the headmaster.

Who promptly slipped the leaf into Hall's mouth.

"You think that counts as using?" His voice was almost conversational as he nonchalantly fulfilled the request, earning a surprised stare from Glynda. Rather than meet her gaze, Ozpin looked beyond her, his attention falling on the arena's display. On the screen was Hall's aura level, now at 25%. "It seems our young friend's aura levels have stabilized. Miss Belladona, Miss Xiao Long, I trust the events that have transpired here will remain a secret?"

Yang wasn't too sure why the spar results had to be a secret, but she knew better than to ask. Or was it the leaf thing that needed to be kept quiet? Either way, it was a request from Ozpin, so she had no choice. "Okay... But I can still say I won against him, right?"

Blake, on the other hand, had her suspicions. From how the two staff members were acting, aura recovery was not normal, and having negative values in aura definitely was not normal. She made a mental note to check the library later, as she nodded back to the headmaster.

"Very good. And yes you may, Miss Xiao Long. You may recount the fight if you wish, but not what happened after." Ozpin had to give some leeway, but he didn't want the aura-related information spreading. "You two are dismissed for now. As for Mr. Hall, I shall escort him to the infirmary."

* * *

At that moment, a certain red-haired girl was busying herself in the library. Ruby Rose had taken Ozpin's words to heart, and the little pep talk he gave her was all the motivation she needed to better herself. It was the first day of classes, so it wasn't surprising that the library was nearly empty. It only took her a moment to pick out a corner all for herself.

It's not like she made an effort to choose the most out-of-the-way spot in the library. She just didn't feel comfortable being out in the open like that! And it was a nice spot, with a large couch, spacious end table, and even a window view that overlooked part of the academy! It was the perfect little spot for a loner like her. Not that she was a loner or anything, but she liked the quiet. Sorta like Blake?

Ruby was mentally debating whether or not she was a cookie-fueled Blake as she cleared the table; there were a bunch of books on semblances, aura and grimm, all basic stuff that had to be replaced with her books. The girl's mind paused for a moment, however, when she noticed a slip of paper on the table. Curiosity took over as she set aside her own reading material, peeking at the paper. She immediately recognized it as Hall's writing, and quickly searched her bag for the reference napkin from the day before. Not that she'd admit to swiping it for curiosity's sake or anything.

And while it was a bit nosy, she was wondering what the page was all about, since it had scribbles and grimm sketches on it. It took her the better part of an hour to translate the page, but she grew more excited with each decoded passage. These were notes! And not just any notes, but notes on stuff she was studying! She felt a bit bad borrowing it, but this was an entire page of concise notes on Deathstalkers and their burrows; an entire chapter condensed to a single leaflet.

Her eyes lingered on it for a moment longer, before she let out a resigned sigh. No, she shouldn't just take notes like this without permission. She was a leader now, and had to be responsible. Putting the page and napkin back into her bag, she opened her books, and began to read them proper. Now... what were the readings that Professor Port assigned?

* * *

On the other side of the library was another member of Team RWBY, completely oblivious to her leader's dilemma as she opened her own books. It was a familiar motion, so why was she so annoyed by it this time?

 _Because_ it was so familiar. Studying was second nature to her, something she's done all her life. Professor Port wasn't wrong when he said that she had everything in life handed to her, but it was more accurate to say that she had... all the opportunities handed do her. She still had to work for it, but the way her teacher had worded it made the young heiress realized that she was in a unique position _because_ all the opportunities were handed to here. But what could she do about it besides fulfill her expectations?

Was she upset now because she didn't have the opportunity to lead a team? The obvious answer was yes, but... that wasn't all, was it? She had been tutored by huntsmen, military personnel, university instructors, and who knows what else her father had pushed her through. Everything from negotiation to combat to tactics were all drilled into her at an early age, and yet, it wasn't enough. Her issue was the fact that she wasn't considered leader material, while people like Ruby and Jaune were. Why was that?

No, this line of thinking wouldn't get her anywhere. With a short sigh, she returned to her reading, returning to the Grimm Studies textbook as she tried to recall her teacher's old stories, and how they compared with written text. And yet, even now, all she could remember were the sounds of Ruby's incessant cheers while she tried to avoid that rampaging Ursa.

And don't even get her started on WHY there was an Ursa in the class in the first place. It sounded like the instructor didn't expect it, and yet accepted it anyways. So doesn't that mean she excelled beyond expectations? So why was-

Weiss Schnee shook her head. She was getting distracted once again. Honestly, the past few days have been a gallery of emotions for her. From the irritation of first meeting Ruby, to the disappointment of having her as a partner, then being content when she realized that the young girl had been trying to prove herself to the heiress. Next was the anger that rose when Ruby was wounded, relief that she was okay... And all the other emotions that shuffled in her mind. Maybe this wasn't the best time to study.

She let out a sigh, closing her book just as quickly as she opened it. Maybe she should just close her eyes and let the silence of the library tak-.

"Oh no, Blake isn't answering either." A familiar voice sounded out.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, looking behind her at the source of the noise. It sounded a lot like Ruby, which was odd since she didn't expect her fearless leader to be in here. The lady in white carefully packed her books as she rose to her feet, not too sure why she was keeping quiet as she made her way to where she heard the voice. The heiress peeked her head around a bookshelf, pleasantly surprised to see her leader not goofing off for once; there she was, open book in one hand, frantic look on her face as she tried to fiddle with her scroll.

"Ugh..." Ruby sounded so defeated as she verbally laid her thoughts out, half complaining to her notebook. "I can't find it anywhere... What parts of the book were we supposed to read again?" The girl quickly flipped through the pages, regretting the Port doodle she had made as she let out a tired sigh. "... I guess I'll just read everything up to Ursas..."

The heiress could barely stop herself from headbutting the bookshelf she was hiding behind. Did her leader really forget about the course outline? And yet, in all of her troubles, Weiss couldn't help but feel for her... Ruby's struggles didn't bring any joy to her, and the lady in white felt herself wanting to help more so than anything else. After all, despite everything that had happened the past few days, Ruby was still trying.

Maybe she had been too harsh?

Weiss quickly took out her scroll, making sure to keep out of sight as she began typing a message to her entire team. "I'm sure the rest of you weren't paying attention, so I'll just have to remind you all. Grimm Studies readings are pages 26-34 in our textbook." And with that, she sent the message to Yang, Blake, and Ruby. The girl took a deep breath, curiosity getting the better of her, wondering just how her leader would respond.

"Eep!... Huh?" The sudden text was an eye-opener for Ruby, as her startled voice went from confusion to childish delight at the message. "Thank you, Weiss! Now I really have to be a proper leader for her. And everyone."

And with that, a certain white teenager stepped out of the library, a soft smile barely showing on her lips.

* * *

Hurt pain why.

Those were his first thoughts. Granted, the Scholar was immediately thankful that he was capable of having thoughts again, but it still didn't answer why he was hurting all over. He propped himself up, wondering why he felt heavier than usual, as he began making note of his surroundings. Wall, medical charts, nightstand, Ozpin, bed, angry Glynda, bag... Two of these things are not like the other. Rather than question what, he questioned why his thoughts were so damned chipper. And what chipper meant. And why he was questioning his thoughts.

The man fell back onto the infirmary bed, letting out one final sigh. Honestly, if he ignored the presence of the two school staff, the Scholar would say that this room was quite relaxing. Quite Safe, really, which he hadn't ever really felt up until this Point. It was an odd thought, and one he brushed aside as he finally looked up at Ozpin. He still didn't trust his... aura adaptation? Is that what you'd call it? Either way, he didn't trust it enough to be able to form coherent sentences yet, so he gave the Headmaster an inquisitive glance instead.

"I'm sure you're confused at the moment, so I'll help clear that up first." Ozpin took a sip from his ever-present mug, his usual neutral expression plastered on his face. "You had a sparring session with Miss Xiao Long, and lost. I won't comment on the quality of the fight, since I was only there for the end of it. I've also done as your message instructed, and applied the leaf to you. Do you understand so far?"

The Scholar only nodded at Ozpin's question. Everything was as expected, even if his mind hadn't gotten around to asking why the headmaster was here telling him all that. Hall mentally shrugged the thought away, since it can't have been that important.

"Good. In that case, I hope you don't mind answering one of my questions." Another sip, and this time, his expression darkened just a bit. "I was under the impression that our language was foreign to you. Tell me, how have you managed to bypass that language barrier?"

... Oh.

With that question, the Scholar's brain finally turned on. He had honestly forgotten that he was in a precarious position. The fact that he had spent all of last night catching up on learning about Remnant, coupled with the little outing in Emerald Forest as he accompanied Professor Port's grimm-kidnapping had caused the Scholar to forget that he was on probation. He was still supposed to be under strict observation, and suddenly understanding their language was alarmingly suspicious.

Ozpin watched Hall's face with amusement, as the young man began mentally organizing himself. Truth be told, the headmaster didn't suspect the youth was lying about his language difficulties, but it was curious to have disappear so quickly. As he saw the young man reaching for his Scroll, Ozpin shook his head, handing him a notebook and pen instead. "I'd much rather you use this to communicate first. Please, write about your entire day so far."

And so, with surprising proficiency, Hall began writing about what he had been up to for the past 24 hours. Without the Soul Siphoning, of course. Still, he wrote about everything else, from his (lack of) sleeping habits, to the similarities between Remnant's and Midgard's written language, to how dust could act as a replacement for his catalysts. By the time he had finished, it had become a list of things he found similar between the two worlds.

Which was a lot. And that was disconcerting.

Judging by Ozpin's growing frown, the headmaster felt the same way.


	17. An Ordinary School Day

**Chapter 17**  
 **An Ordinary School Day**

* * *

"Buuuuuuh."

Weiss Schnee had resolved herself to be more understanding of her leader's position, but the girl's constant groaning was as grating as always. To be fair, the heiress could understand, as this was the third time they've had Professor Port's Grimm studies class. And unlike the first session, these past lectures have consisted of nothing more than the man's outrageous stories.

"Stop fooling around and start paying attention." Weiss's voice was low and sharp as she poked Ruby in the side, giving the girl a tired look. To her credit, there were no silly doodles this time, and the heiress was surprised to see that her leader had somehow managed to write up half a page of notes from the lesson. Weiss wasn't too sure whether they were good notes, but it was definitely a start. Unlike the rest of her teammates.

"Ugh. Can't we do the thing we did at the first day of classes?" A certain blonde girl muttered under her breath, quiet enough for the teacher to ignore as her eyes wandered the room. Unlike the first day, there were no mysterious cages filled with grimm, and Port showed no signs of suddenly springing an attack on a hapless student. "Anything would be better than this..."

"Is there a problem with my lecture, Miss Xiao Long?" Professor Port's voice suddenly rang out, louder than the dull drone he had been using for his stories, garnering the attention of the rest of the class. He raised a bushy eyebrow, his sight fixed on the blonde brawler as he waited for a response.

"Uh... Not at all, teach!" Yang quickly straightened her posture, sitting up as she slapped on a smile. "Just, you know, wondering if you were going to do a lesson like you did on the first day." She almost sounded hopeful, and it seemed everyone in the class shared the blonde's sentiment. Anything would be better than listening to Port, but the potential of watching someone face off against a grimm garnered everyone's interest.

"Is that so?" The middle-aged man brought a hand to his face, stroking his magnificent mustache contemplatively. "While it is true that stories about grimm are important, we must never forget about the practical duties that a huntsman must perform." His thoughts echoed clearly throughout the classroom, and he could see students growing more and more interested. "Very well, I shall permit it. May I have a volunteer?"

Yang's arm shot up instantly, and she made her way to the front of the class before anyone else could get a word in. "I'm your huntress, teach!"

"Good to see such enthusiasm." Port nodded approvingly as he watched the girl step up, before turning to the side of the class. "Mr. Hall, please fetch the... _practicals_ for Miss Xiao Long." Port watched his assistant nod in response, before disappearing into the back, both men wearing a knowing smile as the teacher turned his attention back to Yang. "As for you... Are you prepared? This is your last chance to back down."

"Don't worry about me. I can take anything you throw at me." The blonde gave a cocky grin, electing a tired sigh from two thirds of her team, and a very enthusiastic cheer from the team leader.

"Very good. **Here is your challenge**!" Port's voice boomed as he raised a hand, gesturing to the side as Hall pushed something into the room. Something that was not a caged grimm.

... There were no words. Yang visibly deflated. There were a few snickers as everyone's attention fell on the desk. It was an ordinary desk, save for the piles of paper that were stacked on its surface.

"As any veteran Huntsman or Huntress will tell you, field reports are a crucial part of any extended expeditions outside the kingdoms." Port didn't miss a beat, his mustache beaming as he lectured the class. "While it does not directly relate to grimm studies, this talent is required of Huntsmen all the same, and Miss Xiao Long has graciously volunteered to demonstrate this to the class."

Yang's face twitched as her eyes fell on the paperwork.

* * *

 _"Your observations are intriguing, Hall. But, if what you say is true, then you should acclimate to Remnant in a few days. I'm still worried about why your... abilities can interact with aura, but that will be an issue for later. For now, simply integrate into academy life as best as you can."_

Those were Ozpin's final orders for the Scholar. Really, all that meant was that he should stay out of trouble and do as he was told. It's been two days since those orders, and in that time, he's busied himself with studies and helping out teachers. Both of which were relatively painless, since he rarely had to do more than carry books or, in Port's case, capture grimm.

Well, the last class also had him dispense some paperwork to a certain enthusiastic student, but that was about the only thing different in his routine. The man let out a sigh as he made his way to the cafeteria, a handful of books tucked underneath his arm. What surprised him these past few days was that he actually needed to eat now, unlike the times when he adventured in Rune-Midgard. He... still wasn't too sure why that was the case, so the Scholar merely considered it as one of the many things he needed to research.

For now, he ordered a meal from the cafeteria, a plate of fried... something, and made his way to an empty ta-

"Hey! Over here!" A voice rang out, stopping Hall in his tracks. It was a familiar voice, one that was far too cheerful for its own good. With a sigh, the Scholar turned to face the red-hooded source of the noise. "W-wanna have lunch with us?" The girl who had spoken out seemed a bit too conscious of her surroundings, giving a nervous glance to her fellow students as she called out.

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the young man make his way over to the table. Honestly, it was the first week of classes, so she didn't expect that someone as quiet as her would be yelling across the cafeteria. Maybe this whole team leader position thing was helping her build up her confidence, or maybe she was just trying hard to have confidence so she could be a team leader. Or maybe... Nevermind. Clearing her thoughts, Ruby tried to remember the reason why she called the man in the first place.

"That's different. Why are you calling him over?" A reason that her team also wanted. Well, one person of her team. Blake Belladonna gave Ruby an inquisitive glance, asking partially for curiosity's sake, and partially so that she could have an answer when Yang and Weiss return.

"O-oh... Right. I should ask Yang first." Ruby was immediately dejected, Blake's question bringing her to the wrong conclusion as to why her teammate had asked. The girl knew that Yang and Hall didn't necessarily see eye to eye, so ... "Oh, maybe this can be a chance for them to make up!"

"I don't think you need to worry about that." There was a shrug that accompanied Blake's statement, as she watched the Hall monitor take a seat at the end of the table.

"What do you mean?" She was curious, but her teammate didn't elaborate further, so Ruby let it go. Instead, she turned to the young man, not quite sure how to phrase her question as she squirmed under the man's confused gaze. "A-anyways... I called you here because I found this at the library." Ruby took out a piece of paper and handed it to the Scholar, a hopeful look on her face.

The scholar's eyes fell on the page, recognizing it as one of his note-

"Was this the only page you found?" Hall's voice was a bit... worried? Ruby wasn't sure why he acted that way, but nodded in response, which seemed to have calmed the young man down. He continued the rest of the conversation with his Scroll, setting his books aside to free up his hands as he began typing his messages onto the device, showing them to Ruby.

"Thanks. Was there anything else you needed?"

Maybe it was due to the fact that he had typed it, but the question made Ruby wince. Was she being rude? Was he upset? Still, she slowly nodded, looking back up at the man. "Um... I was wondering... Could I maybe borrow your notes? They're really easy to read and they're related to my classes and and..."

"Shouldn't you be asking your teammates that?" was the response.

"Don't you owe her for nearly killing her?" Weiss's voice suddenly sounded out, as the heiress approached the table with two trays of food. Following behind her was an exhausted Yang, who seemed completely disconnected from the world. The two took a seat as Weiss set down Yang's lunch, before settling in her own seat as she gave Hall a glare. "Just because she forgave you doesn't change the fact that it happened."

"Weiss, you don't need to worry abo-"

"Don't you start with me, either." Ruby's partner cut her off almost immediately, giving the young leader a glare of her own before softening into a tired expression. "Besides... It's not a bad thing that you're looking for help with your studies." _It was an odd thing, though, since they haven't really learned anything yet._ Still, Weiss decided to remain silent on that part, since Ruby was making the effort to better herself. She turned her gaze to the Hall monitor, waiting for the man's response.

The Scholar let out a sigh before he finally began typing into his Scroll. They weren't wrong, and resolving this little grudge now will be less trouble for him later. "Very well. I can help you study."

"Yaaay!" Was the chipper response of the red leader, and soon the group began turning their focus to their meals.

* * *

While Yang began recounting the duel she had to Weiss and Ruby, in between bites of delicious delicious turkey, Blake's focus had turned elsewhere. She wasn't sure what to make of the young man from another world, and Hall's choice of books only filled her with curiosity. At this moment, the man in question was buried in something titled "Ancient Civilizations and Legends", quickly skimming through the text as if he was searching for something. The girl's gaze turned to the other books, and her curiosity soon turned to suspicion as she read the names. "Ruins of the Emerald Forest", "The Grimm of Vale", and "Forgotten History: Emerald Forest"

Those were awfully specific books for someone to be studying. Coupled with the fact that Hall's tone was almost panicked earlier when he spoke with Ruby, and the faunus couldn't help but wonder if the man was planning something. Her eyes fell to the page that Ruby had returned to the Scholar; though the text itself was unreadable, she could tell by the sketches that it had something to do with Deathstalkers. Which often makes their homes in ancient ruins and caves.

Blake turned her eyes back to her own book, though her thoughts were elsewhere now. While she was the person who advocated giving the man a second chance, she was also an experienced operative. And right now, all of her instincts were telling her that this hall monitor was planning something. Not something good or something bad, but simply... something.

But what?


	18. Into the Emerald Forest (1)

**Chapter 18**  
 **Into the Emerald Forest (1)**

* * *

After lunch had finished, their little friend decided to retreat to somewhere, and Blake Belladonna informed her team of what she had observed. More to the point, she had a sneaking suspicion that the man named Hall was planning on sneaking out to the Emerald Forest, which she shared with the group. At first, this was met with confusion, as her teammates didn't know why the girl took interest to it. When Blake started explaining how covert the man tried to be about it, however, she was given permission by Yang and Weiss to shadow the man. Ruby still wanted to trust him, but she had been outvoted.

Democracy, ho!

So Blake had spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what the man was planning. It wasn't particularly hard, considering her previous line of work. The biggest problem was that she was skipping classes, and the school staff would not look kindly to a student missing these courses on the very first week. However, Yang and Weiss had promised her that they would get Ruby to would inform Ozpin as soon as they were finished with their classes. With that particular issue sorted, Blake spent her day spying on the Hall monitor.

For the most part, he merely participated in shuttling boxes to and from classes at the behest of academy staff, and it wasn't until classes were over that he started acting suspiciously. The first warning bell was that he immediately went to Professor Port. It was clear that he had planned to ask the teacher something, but Blake was unable to listen in to the conversation. How was she supposed to read a Scroll that was twenty meters away and facing away from her? She had no clue what the conversation was about... At least, not until Port's voice echoed throughout the halls.

"Extra dust for your hunting excursions? Of course, my good boy! Follow me!" Port eagerly led the man to the Academy supply office, the two disappearing into the unofficial armory. To think that the man could be persuaded with such little words. Was it just because Port was a teacher assistant? Or could a student make the same excuse? Still, Blake might've just shrugged this off as an innocent extra-curricular activity, if not for the professor's next words. "Oh-ho! Are you planning on hunting a Nevermore with that much dust? Hmm? An ancient Deathstalker? ... Multiple, you say? In that case, you'll need at least this much!"

The Faunus almost facepalmed at how irresponsible the instructor could be. Either way, she immediately relayed the information to her team via Scroll, and it only took a few moments for everyone to process the message. Ruby was the most excited, immediately ordering everyone to gather their supplies, and her enthusiasm was met in kind by her older sister. Weiss was the only one skeptical about the destination, since she wasn't even aware that there were Ancient Deathstalkers within Vale. Either way, Team RWBY ended up spending the rest of the day preparing their weapons.

"Good Luck, my boy!" Except Blake, who had the unenviable task of following Hall around. Her eyes fell back on Port and Hall as they left the supply office, widening a bit was she heard Port being Port. "Oh, and while you're out there, be sure to capture any interesting specimens you find. I'll let Ozpin know, so just give me a call when you've found a worthy adversary. If you find one, of course." If the teacher was making this a formal assignment, then the school wouldn't think twice about the Hall monitor's sudden disappearance. Letting out another tired sigh, Blake Belladonna informed the rest of her team.

It seems that Team RWBY didn't have the rest of the day to prepare.

* * *

"I'm sure Peter's thought through all of the necessary risks when he appointed Hall to the task." Those were Ozpin's first words upon hearing out Team RWBY.

Three of the four girls had made their way up to the headmaster's office, with news of a certain Hall monitor's suspicious actions at the forefront of their concerns. Both Weiss and Yang were very vocal about the information, while Ruby's voice was more subdued.

"C'mon, you can't believe that! I mean, why would he be out capturing grimm at this hour? It's almost night time!" Yang was the first to respond.

"And doesn't he have duties he needs to attend to?" Weiss tried to appeal to a more logical side, her gaze shifting from Ozpin to Glynda, who was standing beside the man.

"His duties include assisting the teaching staff, and Professor Port has already vouched for his... trapping skills." The headmaster's words were neutral as he took another sip from his mug. Honestly, it seemed like Ozpin didn't care one way or another what would happen, merely letting out a sigh as his gaze shifted away from the students to the window outside. There was, of course, a reason why he was so lenient on Hall's activities, but the girls didn't need to know that information. "So you three need not worry about our friend Mr. Hall."

"Um... In that case, can we... Help him?" The next voice to speak up was Ruby. This earned her a surprised glance from the rest of her team, as well as a pair of confused "What?!"'s. She immediately shrunk back, earning herself a curious stare from Ozpin, before slowly raising her voice again. "W-well... If he's helping out Professor Port, and we help him out, that'd be good for our classes, right?" It was a long shot, but...

"I am unable to speak on Peter's behalf for anything relating to his class." Nope. "If you truly wish to pursue it, you may be able to talk with Professor Port, so that he may assign someone capable of supervising your team... Though I recommend you wait until the first few weeks of classes are over, first. You may have passed the initiation exam, but there are important lessons in the coming lectures that would benefit any aspiring huntress." Okay, he didn't exactly say no, but it was obvious that Ozpin disapproved of sending off a bunch of students to catch grimm before their first week of classes had finished.

"""But-"""

"I believe the headmaster has spoken on this issue." Glynda interrupted the three before anything more could be said. "You three have other duties you must attend to, I'm sure." And with that, the conversation was over.

The three girls let out a dejected sigh, slowly excusing themselves from the room, leaving Glynda and Ozpin to stew on the conversation. As he watched them leave, the Headmaster put on a knowing smile, almost cheerful as he turned to his colleague. "Well... They've certainly got the intuition of a huntress, wouldn't you agree?"

"Ozpin..." Glynda couldn't help but let out a sigh, not too sure why the man was so lax on the matter. "They're not wrong, you know. Mr. Hall has been spending an inordinate amount of time with his... research, compared to his duties as a teaching assistant."

"Yes Glynda, I know." The statement was less dismissive and more critical. Ozpin's eyes narrowed as he took out his scroll, tapping a few buttons on the holographic display. Within moments, security footage filled his desk, all of which were little videos detailing the young man's activities on school grounds. "He has been gathering a fair bit of data on the local area, hasn't he?" From library to cafeteria to Bartholomew's office, it seemed that Hall was intent on learning about the Emerald Forest.

And then, Ozpin closed all the video feeds save one. He tapped a few more buttons, his gaze turning to his associate once more. "But that simply means he's prepared for the journey."

Glynda was about to object, before she noticed what video the headmaster had settled on. Rather than an early security tape, it was live feed from a security drone that was currently monitoring... Team RWBY. "As instructors, we should instead ensure that our students stay out of harm's way. Wouldn't you agree, Glynda?" With a gesture, he turned back to the video, which showed the three girls meeting up with Blake, as they headed off out of the building.

Making their way to the cliffs that overlooked the Emerald Forest, where their initiation had taken place.

"You realize this is extremely irresponsible, do you not?" Glynda let out a sharp sigh before making her way out of the room. It seems she was assigned to watch over the four by the Headmaster himself.

* * *

It was now 6 in the evening, and normal people would be doing their homework, contemplating dinner, or... something fun? Who knows. The Scholar, for the most part, had spent the better half of the day preparing his supplies. Food, maps, some more dust... It was a stroke of luck that Professor Port provided the excuse he needed for his excursion. No one batted an eye as he made his way to the academy shuttles, and all it took was a simple Scroll message to Professor Port for the pilots to guide him to a Bullhead.

He played the part of a mute, smiling or waving but never talking. Perhaps it was just the staff being polite, but their questions were short and concise, never asking for too much. After all, he was the new huntsman hired by the staff of Beacon, and considering he was doing tasks for Professor Port of all people, he was skilled enough to visit the Emerald Forest on his own. Questions were sparse, and most of the flight was done in silence. Granted, it was quiet before, since he only answered via Scroll, but that's besides the point.

After informing the pilot that he'll contact Professor Port when he's done, the Scholar stepped off the Bullhead, facing absolutely no difficulty as he made his way into the Emerald Forest.

Team RWBY, on the other hand, had a much harder time of reaching the Emerald Forest. They obviously weren't allowed to use one of the Bullhead shuttles, as those were meant for seniors. As a result, they didn't even try, making their way to where they took their initiation tests instead. Each girl carried a small bag of supplies, and a worried expression on their face.

"Is this really a good idea...?" Ruby's doubt was the first thing to sound out, interrupting their quiet march. By now, they had made it to the launching pads that overlooked the forest.

"Hey, come on sis. Is that really the tone a fearless leader should be taking?" Her older sister, for the most part, had no such qualms. Wearing a cheeky grin, Yang waved at the forest below them. "This is much more fun than staying cooped up inside doing homework all night!"

"We'll still need to do it, you know." Blake quipped at her partner, her gaze still focused on the trees below. "Just because we're out here doesn't change th-wait... there!" Before she could chastise her friend, the faunus saw a large metal craft take off from the forest. It was the Bullhead that undoubtedly carried their target, and Blake was the first one to take out her map. "Okay, it seems like he landed near the ruins from the other day." That much was obvious, but now they knew _which_ ruins that was, as well as the general location.

"That's a fair distance. I hope we're all packed for the trip." Weiss turned her attention to Ruby, her eyes lingering on the abnormally large bag on her back. "... I hope those are supplies and not something silly like cookies."

"H-Hey! Cookies are supplies too!" Ruby pouted indignantly, which earned her an exasperated groan from her partner. "And it's not too far. We can make it back by... Midnight."

"Yeah, and if we can figure out how to get these launch pads working again, it'll go that much faster." Surprising no one, Yang was tapping her foot on one such pad. "Anyone know how these work?"

Her carefree nature earned the blonde the attention of a certain surprised Heiress. "Wait, what? Don't tell me you're honestly thinking of using those! I thought you were joking!"

"What's the harm? We already know they're safe, and we'll cover a lot of distance. Right Blake?" Yang turned to her partner for support, who was already looking over the devices with her scroll.

"Yeah... That's weird." Blake answered without really paying attention, and her response drew the confusion of her peers. She kept her eyes on the holographic display, tapping at a few buttons to confirm her thoughts. "For some reason... I think our Scrolls are cleared to use these." Wasn't that supposed to be controlled by the administration? Did the Headmaster forget or something?

"Well then... Let's go!" And, of course, Yang prepared to activate hers. She took out her scroll, inputting the commands for a timed launch on the conveniently easy interface, before putting the device away. She took a stance, crouching down for a good 2 seconds before the pad launched her forward.

""..."" Blake and Weiss were speechless, still not used to the gun-ho nature of their teammate. Was this really what they had to work with for the next four years? Still, each took their place on a launch pad, making their own preparations as they watched the blonde shoot off into the horizon. They were sensible enough to adjust the launch destination to somewhere near the Ruins, and after a few moments, were released into the air as well.

Ruby followed suit, and within minutes, all four members of Team RWBY were airborne.

Just in time for an angry Glynda to catch up to the four girls. Her eye twitched as she saw the little red reaper fire herself off into the forest, knowing full well that Ozpin had gone too far.


	19. Into the Emerald Forest (2)

**Chapter 19**  
 **Into the Emerald Forest (2)**

* * *

It felt weird walking the forest path again. This time, the Scholar wasn't lost or disorientated or confused or being shot at. He knew full well where he was, where he had been, and where he was going. The waning sun did little to deter his trek, and the young man simply walked deeper into the woods, making his way towards his destination.

The Scholar had to admit, he was a bit disappointed the aircraft couldn't drop him off closer to the ruins from the other day. Perhaps it was because of the giant bird monster, or because they didn't want to disturb the wildlife, but the pilot was adamant on where he could or could not land. So, rather than being shuttled right there, he was a good half hour away from those ancient ruins. It wasn't something bad, just... tedious.

Hall slipped his hand into his bag, eager to dig out some of his supplies. It was a shame that his acclimation to the world of Remnant also required him to eat food now, so the young man had to pack some inside his adventurer's bag. Nothing too filling, of course, just some light snacks to keep his reserves up. If he remembered correctly, sweets improved SP regeneration back in Rune Midgard, so the Scholar had packed with that in mind.

He took out his prize, a chocolate chip cookie. One was enough to tide him over for now, since he was still on the move. He quickly consumed the delicious snack, savouring the cookie, feeling his ... Huh. That didn't really affect his spiritual power in any way. It did, however, seem to anchor the aura he had been absorbing, so that's a thing. Shaking off the urge to consume more delicious cookies, he turned his attention back to the forest path, eager to fight some of the local monsters.

After all, that's what he had been... preparing for? Well, he did pack a lot of dust, and he did need more combat practice, so why not? Hall quickened his pace, moving deeper into the woods, his pace far slower than he would've liked.

Unfortunately, the man saw neither hide, hair, nor ugly teeth of his targets. Which was odd, since he was certain the Emerald Forest was supposed to be overrun. Ah well, that meant he should probably find a spot to rest and eat, instead.

* * *

Despite being the third to launch, Blake Belladonna was the first to land. She had to thank her semblance for that, as it allowed her to use her shadow clones to shift position and change momentum. Unfortunately, she was still a good distance away from where the Bullhead had departed from, and was now in grimm-infested woods. Perhaps she had been a bit too zealous in landing. Still, that was something to worry about later. For now, she drew Gambol Shroud, brandishing the blade part as she kept hold of the sheathe in her other hand.

It had been nearly a week since the initiation, so Blake was fairly confident that the massive horde of grimm from that day had long dispersed. She wouldn't lower her guard, however, as the ones that normally dwelt here likely remained. Her pace was a brisk jog, trying to balance between endurance and speed as she made her way over to where the-

Oh. That's an Ursa. This might be problematic.

She had to make a decision. Would she fight it now, and dispatch it before it could call more grimm? Or would she try to lose it, and risk a bigger group? Without her partner, let alone her team, Blake didn't relish the idea of fighting a horde, so she immediately came to a stop. It took one twist of her arm to drop her supply bag, before she charged straight at the grimm.

The thoughts and actions of Blake had taken no more than 2 seconds, and the Ursa barely had time to rise to its feet to meet the girl. It let out a roar, far more subdued that one would expect from its kind. This meant nothing to the grimm's assailant, nor did the grimm intend it to, as both combatants clashed. Claw scraped against blade, the sound ringing through the air, before it was interrupted by gunfire. The Ursa flinched, barely avoiding a shot to its eye as it twisted its head to the side.

Its arm came down in a heavy swing, attempting to retaliate, only to strike a puff of shadows as Blake leaped over the lumbering grimm. She spent the time airborne to examine her opponent properly, and noted it had far fewer bone plates than normal. For once, luck was on her side as she realized her opponent was a weaker variant; She intended to capitalize on that little fact. Another shadow clone flickered, changing her momentum from a graceful arc to an ominous dive, as Blake drove her blade straight into the Ursa's shoulder.

It let out another roar, losing its balance as it attempted to claw at its aggressor, not even managing to reach the shadow clone this time, falling to the ground in pain as it felt another sharp flash against its hind leg. But, in spite of all its wounds, it was still grimm, and it only knew hate. Rather than wallow in pain, the Ursa rolled over, slowly righting itself on all fours as it turned to face the girl. Gleaming red eyes, filled with wrath, locked with her indifferent amber eyes.

And then, without warning, a sword was plunged into the grimm. The monster didn't even get a chance to whine out in pain as it corpse disappeared into nothingness. Blake's attention fell to the source of the attack, and for just a moment, she froze.

Standing before her was a full suit of armour, worn by nothing but air, the crimson metal gleaming as two floating gauntlets gripped a hefty blade. The design of the helmet and breastplate matched nothing she had seen in the history of Remnant, though admittedly, she hadn't seen much. Still, the foreboding aura that... No, not aura. Just the air that surrounded the animate armour filled her with an unnerving sense of wrong.

She had felt this chill somewhere before, but her opponent gave her no time to remember. Without another warning, the armour charged forward.

* * *

Some might say Yang was impulsive. And those people would be right in that assumption. Even so, she wasn't completely devoid of tactics, and the girl knew well enough that firing shotgun blast after shotgun blast would attract the attention of nearby ... everything. Grimm, the person they were tailing, more grimm.

So it was with some disappointment that Yang could do little but fly. Watching her fellow teammate, a certain ice queen, hop through the air with silent glyphs just gave her reason to pout, and she decided to voice her displeasure.

"Hey, Weissicle! You mind helping me with some of those glyphs?" Yang gave a cheerful wave with one arm, smirking for a bit as she saw her teammate return a glare.

"And who taught you how to ask a favour like that? I swear, if we weren't teammates, I wouldn't bother giving you the time of day!" It seemed like the heiress was less than enthusiastic with Yang's request. Still, she gave Myrtenaster a gentle wave, and glyphs began to form in the air, a magical stairwell leading down to the forest below. The blonde happily took the path downwards, skipping a glyph or two with every hop, while Weiss gracefully descended as though she were dancing. Both girls made it down to terra firma before a minute had passed.

"Thanks a lot, ice queen!"

"Hmph!" Well, at the very least, part of that sentence was gratitude. Even if it was squandered by the other half. The glyphs above Weiss and Yang promptly disappeared, and the heiress turned to her teammate. "Enough fooling around. You didn't happen to spot our fearless leader or Blake on your way down, did you?"

"Nope, all I saw was you. Guess that means we should just find those ruins, huh?" And like that, Yang was already half a step forward. Not that Weiss disagreed, but...

"At least check your map before running off." It was a tired sigh, unfamiliar for her in the past, but one she fully expected would be her default tone. "You were about to head in the opposite direction."

"Nooo... I was about to fight those things!" The world may never know if Yang was lying or not, as a small pack of beowolves stumbled upon the two girls.

* * *

Ruby Rose was flickering through the air, rose petals raining down on the forest below as she shimmered her way above the trees. She had lost sight of Blake earlier, and try as she might, she couldn't spot her teammate beneath the dense foliage. Unfortunately for her, those search attempts meant she missed Weiss and her sister entirely, flashing past their little landing spot as the red girl's eyes searched in the completely wrong direction.

She had been flying for a little over 2 minutes now, in between gaining some height with her semblance, and Ruby wasn't sure whether she was too far ahead or too far behind. Maybe she should just land and try to contact them? The only question is where? It took a few more moments of searching before her intuition told her to land THERE! And why not? That particular clearing was as good as any.

It took her all of 5 seconds to go from sky to grass, leaving a pile of petals in her wake as she landed, taking a moment to catch her breath. Once that was done, she immediately drew out her Scroll, calling up her teammates to see how they were doing.

Somewhere in the forest, a sentient helmet gave its opponent a confused glance.

Elsewhere, two teenagers tried to ignore their respective ringtones in between ravenous teeth and angry claws.

Either way, no one picked up. Ruby let out a sigh, stowing the Scroll. Perhaps they were still busy, or flying around or something. Still, she should take this moment to rest. Turning around, she made her way to a nearby tree, only to stop as her eyes finally decided to examine her surroundings. Right in front of her was the very person they were supposed to be shadowing.

"Oh, hey Hall!" And of course, Ruby was Ruby. Rather than explain her presence, she immediately sat down beside the young man. "Imagine seeing you here! Whatcha up to?"

"Err... I was-"

"Wait, you brought cookies? Awesome, me too! Wanna trade? I've got strawberry ones!" She made herself comfortable, sitting down on the tree root beside the Scholar, reaching into her supply bag to take out a container. A container that was filled to the brim with cookies. If nothing else, Ruby Rose was dedicated in her packing. She quickly popped the lid off, pulling out one of the many snacks contained within."Here, try this one! It's got some sort of nut in it!"

Hall, for the most part, blinked and shrugged. He wasn't going to complain to a fellow cookie enthusiast. Even if he never considered himself one before. "Thanks. Here's one with those white chocolate chips."

And they sat there in peace for a good two minutes, content to just watch the scenery, feel the breeze of the forest pass them by as the two enjoyed their snacks. Neither of them spoke, for they both knew the importance of the cookie ritual, a habit ingrained in long-time perusers of the pastry ar-

"Okay, that's enough. I'm confused." The Scholar immediately cut that line of thought, putting the rest of his snacks into his bag.

"Hmmf? Whaf thu you meaf?" Ruby did not follow suit, her cheeks filled with her latest prey as she couldn't decide between three flavours.

"Nothing. Just contemplating why I've been suddenly craving cookies lately." Hall shrugged the thought away, before standing up. His gaze turned to his little red companion, a questioning look in his eyes. "Sooo... I think you owe me an explanation? What're you doing all the way out here?"

Ruby quickly swallowed her cookies, wishing she had a packed thermos of milk as she rose up with the young man. "Oh, is that all? We were just following you because Blake was suspicious of what you were... doing and every... thing." A raised eyebrow from the hall monitor told Ruby all she needed to know.

"... What?" To be fair, he wasn't sure if he was asking for the reason behind their actions, how they planned to carry out their actions, or why she just blurted out their actions. But, the Scholar just had to accept that was Ruby being Ruby. "Nevermind. Since you're already here, I guess we should head back or something. No need to drag you all into this mess."

"Wait, mess? What _are_ you doing? Ozpin said you were just helping Professor Port with something." Ruby's tone shifted from embarrassed to curious, a testament to how chipper she was.

"Nothing big. Just... was planning on checking out those old ruins."

"Oh, you mean the ones where... you..."

"..." Hall took out another cookie, slipping it into Ruby's mouth as he let out a sigh. "... Yeah. You know, before I considered the place where I almost accidentally killed you, I viewed it as the place where I first ended up in this world." Hall couldn't even be sarcastic anymore... If he had been in the past? Who knows.

"W-wait, you mean there might be a way for you to... go back?" The red girl's tone changed once more, this time to a conflicted feeling. Sure, the man before him had almost tried to kill her, but he made it better! And she was like the third friend she made at Beacon herself! Not that she was discounting her teammates or Team JNPR, but the hall monitor was someone who wasn't forced to stick around with her!

Okay, that sounded bad, but she was definitely going somewhere with this train of th-

"Not quite." And thus, her worries were stemmed. "I don't even want to go back." Oh, did I say stemmed? I meant they were back again. Why wouldn't he want to go home? Doesn't he miss his family? "I'm more worried about the ruins themselves."

Just before Ruby could complain about how vague the man was being, Blake and her battle buddy tumbled in.


	20. Into the Emerald Forest (3)

**Chapter 20**  
 **Into the Emerald Forest (3)**

* * *

"That's not a Grimm!"  
"A Raydric?!"

Ruby and the Scholar spoke out at the same time, though one was obviously more knowledgeable than the other. Ruby gave the man a worried, questioning glance, but he was already in the middle of gathering his... Semblance. Or Aura. Or just the magical magic that he had in his world. Ruby was surprised that she actually couldn't tell at this point, given how much she already knew.

Rather than stand around in confusion, the red hooded reaper charged to help her teammate, gunshots echoing behind her as she dashed forward. "Don't worry, Blake! I'm coming!" Those words were warning enough for the black-haired assassin to step back, giving Ruby just enough space to bring her blade up in a massive cleave. The sheer impact of the giant doom scythe, coupled with Ruby's silly momentum, knocked the Raydric away from Blake. Her teammate immediately followed up with an attack of her own, bullets exploding against the animated crimson armour. Granted, there weren't joints to aim at, so she wasn't too sure where to shoot, but shoot she did.

And then, ice came, familiar bolts of frost striking against the animated armour. Granted, it wasn't the best element to use, but Hall was no Crusader, so he didn't complain. Another quick cast sent off a familiar Frost Diver, the shockwave of ice snaking through the grass as it exploded at the Raydric's feet. Unfortunately, the foe wasn't frozen this time, but its movements were still restricted by SUDDENLY ICE CRYSTALS, so Blake and Ruby closed in with their weapons once more.

For the most part, the Scholar could only sit back and watch. Friendly fire was a thing, unlike in Rune-Midgard, and he was surprised at the agility that these two teenagers showed. Both were proficient in their weapons, no doubt the result of countless years of training, and they even managed to respect eachother's attack zones. Weren't they just assigned their team last week?

It didn't matter as the Raydric tried to parry the onslaught. Against one opponent, the monster could wield its heavy blade with surprising quickness, parrying and deflecting some of Blake's light attacks. With the introduction of her teammate, however, their foe was put on the defensive, forced to recall technique after technique just to keep its stance. Its weight would shift, blade angling the scythe away, only to be pushed back in a different direction with Gambol Shroud. It was fighting a losing battle, and the Raydric knew full well of this. With a quick backstep, the animate armour gained some distance from the two girls. It was only for a few seconds, as Blake and Ruby charged in again, but it would be enough.

"Wait, you two! Stop!" But Hall's warning came too late, as the animate armour demonstrated its own Skills. Magnum Break, an odd name, but one used deftly by many swordsman. This living armour was no different as it brought its weapon straight into the ground, causing an explosion of fire around it, knocking back the two lightweight hitters. Without missing a beat, the Raydric charged towards Ruby, choosing to test the Scythe's defensive capabilities.

Of course, Ruby was no slouch, and quickly twirled her weapon around. With a single pull of the trigger, she gained more distance, while a sniper round collided with the armour's chest. For all their efforts, the metal still hadn't broken yet, but it was obvious the Raydric was worse off than they were.

And then it was frozen properly this time. Ice encased the armour, restricting its movements and allowing the two girls bring their strongest attacks to bear. Blake made use of her shadow clones, rising up into the air above the frozen Raydric to gain more and more momentum. At the same time, Ruby made use of her own Semblance, speeding around the target, building up speed. It was only for a few seconds, but these seconds lasted an eternity for the poor monster, as both girls finally ended it with a fatal swing of their weapons.

Ice and metal broke apart, their enemy defeated as the crimson armour plates clattered uselessly to the ground, the enemy's sword falling just a moment later. Within moments, all trace of metallic debris faded into nothingness. The three turned their attention to the treeline, cautious for more surprise guests, A minute of silence passed, and they finally allowed themselves to relax. Blake sat herself down by a tree, while Ruby was content to flop down in the grass. They hadn't fought anything like that. It was almost like fighting a hunter. At least, an old-school hunter. What was...

And then Ruby shot back up, turning to Hall. "What was thaaat?!" And asked in the most Ruby-manner possible.

"That was... not supposed to be here. And not supposed to be that strong." Hall's eyebrows furrowed. Raydrics were from Rune Midgard. And they weren't that durable. What was going on?

"... Is that so, Mr. Hall?" Ozpin's eyes narrowed as he watched the security feed. There were six video displays in total, one watching each of Team RWBY, one for the little hall monitor, and one watching Glynda race through the forest. Of course, his colleague also had access to these images, and she was just as worried as Hall. "Glynda. What do you make of these events?"

Glynda turned to face the video feed, looking back at Ozpin through the holo display while she sped through the forest. As a huntress, she was efficient, and wasted no time or energy even as she spoke her mind. "I think something is very wrong everything. If it's something that Hall recognized, then it's something from his world. We still haven't figured out how he got here in the first place."

Ozpin could only nod at that statement. He opened the old security footage from last week's initiation, focusing on the Ruins. As Glynda said, neither of them knew how Hall had landed in the middle of the ruins. One minute, there's nothing, the next minute, he was sprawled on the stone floor.

"Hold on a moment. Glynda, could you review the feed from Ruins?" Something else was wrong. The headmaster had a growing suspicion why there was suddenly otherworldly monsters appearing in the Forest, and to be sure, he had his trusted associate check. "Namely... Could you confirm the presence of something that wasn't there last week?"

The female instructor did as she was asked, and her eyes widened at the sudden revelation. Glynda accessed older footage, just to compare, before nodding back into the video screen. "Those etchings weren't there before. Unless a student has decided to sneak into the forest and vandalize those ruins..." It was clear that she didn't believe in the latter, and Ozpin felt the same. Confirming his colleague's words, the headmaster could only nod gravely. What did this mean?

Regardless, the instructors had no choice but to watch these events unfold. It was obviously related to the Scholar in some way. Hopefully, he would be able to shed some light on this phenomenon.

* * *

The other half of Team RWBY had a much easier time with their target. Grimm beowolves were much easier to deal with than ghost warriors from another world, and they had finished off the pack with little difficulty. Yang gave out a whoop in victory, while Weiss settled for dusting off her combat skirt. The fallen corpses of grimm faded into nothingness, as per usual, and the two huntresses-in-training could get back to more important matters.

"As I was saying before our little interruption... You need to check your map before running off like that!"

"C'mon, I said it was to fight those Grimm."

"You and I both know that wasn't the case in the slightest. The battle was just as unexpected for you as it was for me." Weiss chastised her teammate, shaking her head in resignation as she took out her Scroll once more. "Now, let's check the map an- Huh? Ruby called us?"

That got Yang's attention, and the blonde immediately took out her own Scroll. It came during their beowolf brawl. Had Ruby gotten into a fight as well? She wasn't sure what happened, but she was definitely worried for her younger sister. It took all of two seconds to call her back, and Yang waited deafening silence as the call attempted to connect.

Of course, for anyone else, it was only a few seconds of normal seconds, and Ruby promptly picked up.

"Ruby! There you are! I was worried! Are you oka-"  
"Yang! There you are! I was worried! Are you oka-"

Both sisters paused, hearing the others' words, before bursting into cheerful laughs. Even Weiss wasn't sure whether to feel confused or warmed by the exchange. Of course, she knew what she would _tell_ everyone, but they didn't need to know this moral conundrum. She gave them a few seconds to catch their breaths, before speaking up at Yang. "Should you be answering each other's questions?"

"Oh, right! Don't worry Ruby! We just ran into some Grimm here. Nothing we couldn't handle!" Yang was all smiles as she reported to her little sister.

And then those smiles stopped.

"That's good to hear! We had to fight a... I think Hall called it a Raydric? It's apparently a ghost armour from his world!"

"WHAT?!" The words _fight_ , _Hall_ , _ghost armour_ , and _his world_ set off enough warning bells in Yang's head for her break into a sprint. She was well into the treeline before she had a mind to check the scroll for her sister's location. "He better not have hurt you! I'll be right over!" And with that, the fiery blonde closed her Scroll, no longer dealing with stealth as she used shotgun blast after shotgun blast to close the distance.

... Weiss could only facepalm. She could only pray that her teammate would be less impulsive in the future. The heiress was less worried, since she listened to Ruby's words for once, and simply sped off after the angry blonde.

* * *

"U-uhm... I think Yang's on her way here now. W-we should give a call to Weiss an-"

"Great. Is she going to try and kill me again?" Hall's question had absolutely no sarcasm in it. He had seen the full capacities of what she could do, and was in the infirmary for a whole day because of it.

"You of all people should know the answer to that." Blake quipped, her voice soft as she examined the Scholar.

"Yeah, yeah. I kn-... Waitwhat?"  
"Waitwhat?"

Ruby and Hall spoke out at the same time once more, their questions/wordjumbles sounding in sync.

"You can understand me?"  
"You can understand him?"

Blake nodded, half wondering if they would stop the echoed questions. She honestly didn't expect the unnerving voice from before to have the same personality as Ruby of all people. Still, they weren't wrong in being curious about it. Blake was just as surprised as they were to find out Hall's words were finally coherent. That moment of realization was the only reason she didn't heed the Scholar's warning in time. Even now, she regretted the momentary lapse, as the armour's little explosion trick wore down her aura by a fair margin.

"Yes, I can. No, I don't know why, and I understood you from the moment you warned us." Blake quickly settled the question, as well as potential future questions. Of course, she had questions of her own for Hall, but she was willing to wait until the rest of their team arrives. "... And thanks for helping out in that fight."

"No need to thank us!" Ruby beamed at Blake. "That's what teammates do! Trust each other's back and all that!" The team leader's voice was chipper enough to stop Blake's reflexive twitch, and she smiled at the girl instead.

"Well, I also need to thank the Hall monitor, for keeping an eye on wayward students." Blake spoke those words completely seriously, earning an odd look from both Ruby and Hall.

"... You're welcome?" He wasn't sure how to respond. And that didn't change when Blake threw them her _Oh-come-on-that-was-a-joke_ face. The Scholar gave a curious glance to Ruby, earning a confused shrug from the smaller girl, and both faces turned to give Blake a confused look. Confusedly.

"Never mind." Blake shook her head in dismay. Perhaps she should leave those sorts of jokes to Yang. It didn't suit her, apparently. Or these two were simply that thick-headed. ... Which was comforting, in its own way. Blake's expression softened, mainly because she felt vindicated, that arguing for giving Hall a second chance was the right choice. And if he could go through with his second chance, then she-

"RUBY! Are you okay?!" In the time it took Blake to lose herself in her thoughts, Yang had caught up with the group. She had all the rage and fury of a vengeful momma bear, at least until she saw Ruby and Hall sitting back down by the tree from earlier, munching away at cookie-shaped supplies. Called cookies. "Wait... What?"

"Hi Yang! Everything's okay, see? You don't need to murder Hall or anything!" Ruby's voice was a bit forced, and Yang could tell her sister was worried about something. Had she been held hostage or coerced in some way or-

"Yang, I think you need to calm down. Take a deep breath, then ask Ruby what happened." Blake spoke out to her partner, attempting to help defuse the situation. That earned her a wary glance from Yang, before she finally processed that the raven-haired girl was here too. Almost immediately, her disposition changed, since she trusted her partner to do something should Hall harm Ruby in any way.

"Okay... Okay, sorry about that." She gave a look to the hall monitor, giving him a wry smile. "I mean, you can't fault me for getting worried, right? Still... Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Hall merely piped up, before turning his attention back to a strawberry cookie that he had acquired for the cutthroat price of 3 fudge cookies.

"Alright, th-" She paused, finally hearing Hall speak for the first time. Just like Blake, she was surprised by the unexpectedly normal tone. Truth be told, Yang had expected the man's voice to sound like something from a monster movie. It actually went a long way to not viewing the man like the sister murdering psychopath she thought he was. "... How long could you talk?"

"Honestly... I think today?" Hall gave a curious shrug, not quite sure himself. He hadn't really engaged in conversation much until just a few moments ago, after all. "Glad I don't need to type anymore."

"Oh, so we're all buddy buddy now?" Weiss finally caught up with the group. To her credit, she didn't ask about Hall's newfound communication abilities. Instead, she intended to make the man use them. "In that case, you wouldn't mind sharing with us why you're out in this grimm-infested forest, would you?"

At those words, Hall set down his cookie, sitting himself upright as he fixed his posture. Taking in a deep breath, he paused for just a moment, his expression completely serious as he turned to Team RWBY.

"It's a long story..."

* * *

"No it wasn't!" Weiss, understandably, was the first to speak up as soon as he finished his tale. "You literally said 'I'm just going out to check the ruins because they were the first things I saw'! Ugh!" The rest of team RWBY, save Ruby herself, wore similar expressions of fatigue. In the distance, Glynda facepalmed, and from the comfort of Beacon, Ozpin merely chuckled.

"I choose to blame Ozpin." The Scholar stated in a completely not-serious tone with a completely serious voice, earning another groan from his audience. After finishing his cookie, he dropped all pretenses, turning his gaze to the four. "In the beginning, I just wanted to come here and verify a few things. Now, however... I'm certain something else is going on, and I need to investigate."

This change in tone garnered everyone's attention, giving the Scholar enough time to pull out his faithful fist-blocking encyclopedia. He quickly skipped through a few pages, before finding the desired passage. Clearing his throat one last time, he began speaking once more, carrying no trace of silliness.

"Let me tell you a story about Rune-Midgard's old capital.

"Glast Heim."


	21. Into the Emerald Forest (4)

**Chapter 21**  
 **Into the Emerald Forest (4)**

* * *

It was a simple story.

The fall of Glast Heim was something you could find in any sort of children's storybook, and it followed those stories to the T. Well, with some slight differences in naming, perhaps. While it was once the old capital of Rune Midgard, the Glast Heim that the Scholar remembered was nothing more than overrun ruins, filled with moss and ghosts.

"It was said that the warriors who lived there were far beyond human in strength and power, all serving the great king. However, as time wore on, the king wanted more, and learned of sacred tomes that were being kept inside the Ancient Tower of Geffen." The Scholar looked up for a moment, wondering if he should introduce the foreign name. After all, he was already explaining one. At that thought, he merely gave a shrug, before continuing on.

"He wanted the secrets contained in those tomes, so he sent assassins to steal them. However, when he read those books, he unleashed a terrible power, one which consumed his entire kingdom. One that tore every soul into infinite torment. And now, the name of that king was lost, with only the Dark Lord and countless monsters cursed to wander the halls of that dead city."

Hall stopped at that, letting them digest the information. He wasn't kidding when he said that the history of Glast Heim was a common child's tale. Glorious civilization, lust for power, and then the fall. And yet, despite its common knowledge, the kingdom fell all the same.

"Wait... So you live in a world where that can... happen?" Ruby was the first to speak up. And who could blame her? Sacred books and dark magic were all fantasy here in Remnant. "Where there's evil magic that can destroy... a Kingdom?"

"That can't be right!" Weiss's voice shot up next, obviously not believing the fairy tale. "There's no such thing as magic, and we've heard fairy tales like that all the time. Are you really trying to tell a story? I thought you were finally going to be serious." To be fair, her frustration was understandable; the man before them apparently considered a single sentence a "long story", so why not a fiction as well?

At the same time, not everyone shared her skepticism. "... So what was that thing we fought?" This question came from a concerned girl in black, who still remembered the animate armour from earlier. Adrenaline and instinct dictated that she only viewed it as an enemy that was trying to kill her. After the battle, however, Blake had finally realized that she was fighting a floating set of medieval armour, which was certainly more than enough to earn her attention.

"All that's left of Glast Heim's army; a tortured soul that wore armour. Like a ghost, but not." Of course, this earned a tired sigh from the two girls who had not been present for the little brawl.

"Are you sure that's what you saw, Blakey?" Yang turned her attention to her partner. Though they haven't been together long, the blonde could read people enough to know that Blake wasn't the type to play around. Or, you know, mistake grimm for magical ghost armours. So, when she saw Blake _and_ Ruby nod, she accepted it as fact. "Well, if you two say so. If even Ruby's vouching for you, then that's all the convincing I'll need."

"Are you all serious? There's no way his little story's true. In the first place, magic doesn't exist!" Weiss was adamant about that point. This was kind of hard to refute, since the world of Remnant was a technological one, founded on the sciences. Though they know not the origins of dust, it obeyed sense and laws like everything else, and Aura was a measurable phenomenon.

And that's why the Scholar had to ask his next question.

"... Wait. What do you four think I've been using up until now?"

* * *

"I still don't know why you're so worked up over this. You use magic too."

It had been twenty minutes. There was much arguing between the Hall monitor and Weiss Schnee over the existence of magic, and they were no closer to a resolution than they were when they had started.

"For the last time, it's not the same! It's my Semblance!"

"It's close enough for practical purposes. I don't even know why we're arguing about this."

The group of five had packed up their little picnic camp already, and now they were making their way to the ancient ruins of the Emerald Forest. Blake had a book out, casually reading it in between the occassional glance up. Yang and Ruby were chatting about their recent fights, with the blonde brawler getting increasingly disappointed with drawing the short stick for enemies. And, through it all, Weiss and Hall kept arguing about the consequences and implications involved in breaking the fundamental laws of Remnant. Which was getting a bit tiresome.

"I don't understand why you're so concerned either. I mean, you accepted the fact that he came from another world." Blake spoke up, her eyes still on her latest novel. It honestly didn't concern her who was right, but their little discussion was certainly distracting.

"That's different!" The lady in white blurted out her statement, and this immediately drew a questioning glance from everyone else. The entire group stopped for just a moment as she brought a hand to her forehead. "... How can I simplify it so Ruby can understand?" Weiss had muttered to herself, but judging by Ruby's pout, the team leader heard that quip just fine. After thinking for a few moments more, the heiress shook her head, finally looking back at the group.

"... I can _maybe_ accept that he comes from another world, and for the sake of my sanity, I'll concede that his world _might_ have something _like_ magic. BUT," And this was where Weiss Schnee drew the line, "He _can't_ be using magic here. Hey! Let me finish!" From the corner of her eye, the heiress caught Hall's noncommittal shrug. "Because we _don't_ have magic, and we _definitely_ don't have whatever power source he uses in his world. If he used magic, it would've run out by now."

"But what if his magic doesn't run out?" And there was Ruby, asking the hard hitting, logic-defying nonsensical sentences. Rather than try to answer that one, Weiss just turned to Hall, expecting him to answer the little red girl.

"... Your friend has a point." And answer he did. This was something he had ignored during his little study sessions on aura. His powers had a clear limit, and while it would refresh over time, it had to refresh _somehow_. And that didn't even account for his items, which did the exact opposite of refresh. "In Rune-Midgard, everything stemmed from the World Tree. When I arrived here, everything magical that I was carrying slowly began to lose power."

"So it wasn't even magic in the first place." Weiss nodded at her conclusion. "If it came from your World Tree, whatever it was, then it had a defined source. Like Aura or Dust. And I'm guessing it wasn't as limitless as magic was supposed to be."

"... You're right about that, too. Every-"

"Agh! I've had enough of this already!" Whatever the Scholar was about to say was immediately cut off by a _very_ annoyed Yang. "We're in the Emerald Forest, for God's sake, and yet, nothing's attacked us! You two must've _bored_ every grimm away with your stupid argument!" While not the most eloquent way to put it, Yang had a point. For a grimm-infested wilderness, it had been eerily quiet.

Which is why, at that exact moment, an arrow impacted against Yang.

* * *

"Okay, who did that?!" Surprising no one, Yang was perfectly fine. Aura has a way of being Aura, and while the shot stung _way_ more than it should've, it was nowhere near enough to deplete her reserves. Thankfully, her opponents were kind enough to answer her question, as a squad of Raydrics dashed out to meet the girls.

There were five suits of animated armour, three carrying broadswords and two wielding massive bows. This would be... Problematic. It took Ruby, Blake, and the Scholar just to take down one Raydric. Granted, they weren't going all out, but it still painted a poor picture for what could happen. Still, they were four huntresses-in-training and one Hall monitor, so they had no intention of backing down. If they played their cards right, and used proper positioning and strategy, the Scholar was certain that **the yellow one just charged forward damnit.**

Yang, true to her nature, launched herself towards the closest opponent, using Ember Celica to turn her target into the furthest opponent. In layman's terms... She just sent a Raydric into a tree. To the armour's credit, it blocked most of the damage with its broadsword, and was merely stumbling about as the animate metal tried to re-orientate itself. However, Team RWBY was well trained, and a certain heiress took full advantage of the situation to encase the poor Raydric in a flower of ice.

That left two Raydric Archers and two Raydric swordsmen for them to deal with for now, and Ruby and Blake were prepared. Each girl locked blades with a swordsman, while the Scholar burned away some dust, conjuring forth a Blinding Mist around the two archers. The engulfed archers fired off arrow after arrow in retaliation, but the magical fog prevented them from hitting anything more than trees, giving some breathing space to the two girls locked in melee.

Blake Belladonna was the first person to take advantage of this. Her initial strike was more than enough to put the Raydric off-balance, and she capitalized this with a flicker of her semblance, shooting forward with a slash, only to appear at the monster's side as she charged once more. To its credit, the living armour tried to parry, deflecting blow after blow. However, it had no room to retaliate, and was unable to do anything as it felt a ribbon wrap around its breastplate.

"Over here, Blake!" Ruby's voice shouted out, and the girl in black knew exactly what to do. She steadied her stance, both feet firmly on the ground as she yanked hard on her weapon, surprised by how light the ghost armour was. That motion alone was enough to fling the breastplate forward, with the rest of the animated armour pieces quickly following the main body as it flew towards Ruby's little brawl.

A loud crack sounded out as Ruby fired off a heavy shot, flying backwards away from her own target, just in time for Blake's little present to tumble in. The two Raydric swordsmen stumbled on each other, though they steadied themselves enough to not fall over.

Which was perfectly fine, since Yang felt like punching something again. Ember Celica fired, and the blonde brawler leapt into the sky, her eyes fixed on the two close-knit Raydrics. Gravity ensued, encouraged by a few more shotgun blasts and a friendly little glyph from Weiss. Yang's face grew into a playful grin as she shot back to the earth, streaking through the air as her fist collided with one of the stunned swordsmen. Her landing crushed one unfortunate armour into the ground, and the explosive impact knocked the other Raydric aside.

Ruby and Blake pounced on the opportunity, both of them closing in on the toppled Raydric, each girl alternating strike after strike, scythe and blade wearing the poor armour down.

"This was... surprisingly simple." Weiss gave the battle one final assessment. One swordsman was frozen, one was buried in the ground, and one was currently being Ruby'd. The two archers might've been a problem, if it were not for the magical fog that surrounded them. The Heiress spared a glance, turning to face the Hall monitor beside her. "Is there something else we should expect?"

"It's not over yet." The Scholar wanted to be cautious, but he was... honestly surprised by competency of the locals in this world. Granted, it was 5 vs 5, but these Raydrics weren't pushovers. Yet, the only damage Team RWBY suffered seems to be superficial; they barely looked tired.

"Then I'm going in as well." With a flourish, Weiss twisted her weapon forward, the chamber inside switching to a cartridge of red dust. Her blade was then coated in a sheathe of crimson light, the dust draining away as she empowered her weapon. This action did not go unnoticed by the Scholar, and he could only watch with renewed interest as the heiress charged into the fray, her opening strike cleaving a red slash in the air.

"... So it can be used that way too, huh." A smirk appeared on the Scholar's face, before an arrow impacted against his shoulder; it looks like the Raydric Archers were done idling in the Blinding Mist. It was Hall's turn to fight, and he began conjuring bolts of ice, the air chilling around him as he tried to dodge the incoming archer fire. Arrows were sent in one direction, and icicles were returned.

Ignoring the little firing squad, Blake charged towards her enemy once more. The first time she fought these, she had tried to aim at the armour plates, thinking that was the only target. However, if what Hall said was true, then their enemies were more than simple animated armours. Ducking out of the way of the Raydric's swing, Blake aimed at the spot below the floating helmet, seemingly striking at the air. Yet, the hit struck true, and the Raydric flinched, drawing back as it took a defensive stance. That was all she needed, as relayed her findings to the rest of the team. "Ignore the armour! Hit what's wearing it!"

Her team understood the words perfectly. Yang started punching the Raydric's invisible face, each oppressive strike forcing the landlocked armour deeper into the ground. Ruby moved to support Blake, firing shot after shot, impacted the invisible sword arm of her opponent each time the black-haired girl's attack was parried.

Seeing that her team held the advantage, Weiss gave one look to the archers, wondering if Hall needed assistance with them. However, she could see that one had been... petrified? One suit was completely encased in rock, barely able to move as it tried to draw the invisible string of its bow, while the other was pelted with more of those ridiculous icicles. That was more than enough for her to understand, so the heiress turned her attention to the last swordsman, still encased in her ice flower from earlier.

Then, she noticed its blade. Encased within the ice, the animate sword began glowing, dimly at first, before growing more intense as the white light threatened to engulf the entire frozen flower. Not that it mattered, as Weiss was not so foolish; her own Myrtenaster began to glow as she activated more dust, a familiar blue sheen quickly covering her blade. Her other hand drew a glyph behind her, the glowing circle focusing on her back. It took only a second, far shorter than the Raydric's attempt, and Weiss was off, lunging towards her target with breakneck speeds.

A frozen thrust met a frozen flower, and the armour encased within shattered instantly, falling apart as Weiss broke her opponent completely. However, the battle was still ongoing, so she quickly hopped back to her feet, turning around to see... A cheering Ruby.

It seems that their little battle had concluded. Letting out a tired sigh, the heiress brushed off some dirt from her combat skirt, as she made her way back to the group.

* * *

Ozpin had watched the entire fight. More importantly, he had watched every moment leading up to the fight as well. The stories from another world interested him on at an academic level.

And at a security level.

There was a reason why the Headmaster had instructed his colleague to simply stand by while the girls fought: he needed to know how strong these opponents were. Glynda could've intervened before things became dire, and he needed to know if students were able to meet this threat. And it was a threat. Ozpin was nothing if not clever, and ever since the day Hall had dropped in out of nowhere, the headmaster had one thought on his mind.

"If Hall managed to slip into our world... And these "Raydrics" did as well... what else could have slipped by?" It was a rhetorical question, as neither he nor Glynda could answer.

"We have no way of answering that, Ozpin. We barely even know _where_ they came from." Glynda's video feed responded to the headmaster's question, just as worried as he... No. No, Ozpin's face was now wearing a much bleaker expression. "... Is something the matter?"

The Headmaster turned his attention away from Team RWBY's feed to the camera that was watching the Ruins. His eyes furrowed, not even bringing up his mug as he examined the footage. "... Yes, Glynda. I do believe we have a slight problem."

There, standing in the middle of the circular ruins, was a gargantuan figure over four meters tall, garbed head to toe a blood-stained armour.


	22. Into the Emerald Forest (5)

**Chapter 22**  
 **Into the Emerald Forest (5)**

* * *

"So are you convinced now, Weiss?" Yang was the first to speak up, cracking a playful grin at the heiress. True to her nature, the blonde brawler didn't seem at all fazed by their attackers, even if they were ghost armour things. "You can definitely call these things magical, right?"

"They're certainly... something." Weiss's voice was filled with doubt as her eyes focused on one of the fallen armours. No longer powered by whatever fueled them, the Raydrics were nothing more than piles of discarded metal now. It's disturbing how _human_ their movements were just a few moments ago, and now they're nothing more than fading pieces of... "Wait, why are they disappearing?" That last question was directed at the Scholar, and it seemed everyone on the team was curious, as Team RWBY turned to the young man.

Hall merely shrugged in response, indifferent as he took out another cookie. For a legitimate reason this time, as a fair amount of his Spiritual Power had been used up during the fight.

"Okay... You know, you're almost as bad as Ruby is with those." The blonde brawler raised her eyebrow as she watched Hall 'answer'. And, as if to prove her point, she noticed her little sister take out some cookies of her own. Rather than wonder why both of them were so eccentric, Yang asked another question. "But seriously, what's up with those things? Why are they here?"

"I don't know." That much was true. Hall was as clueless as the rest of them, and he didn't like it. Throwing the remains of the cookie in his mouth, the Scholar took out something else from his bag, a hand-drawn map. "But that's one more reason to investigate the ruins. From what I can tell, we're about here, so if we continue heading northeast at this pace, we should reach it in... What?" Why were they looking at him like that?

"Hey Hall? You're a teaching assistant, right?" Ruby was the first one to answer him, a curious look in her eyes. The Scholar returned her question with a nod, not quite sure where she was going with this. "And they gave you your Scroll, right?" Another nod. "So... Shouldn't you have a map of the forest on it? Why'd you draw your own map?"

It was a good question. However...

"Erm... Well... I don't how to use this thing very well." The Hall monitor answered Ruby's question, causing the rest of the group to topple over in disbelief.

And just like that, all the tension from the earlier battle deflated.

* * *

"We should probably correct that deficiency at a later date." Ozpin spoke to himself as he watched the group on one video feed. The group of five were now on the move again, cautious yet brisk in their pacing as they drew closer to their destination. Another camera showed Glynda trying to catch up, delayed every so often by Raydrics or grimm. She looked particularly annoyed during this particular altercation, as both obstacles were present, going out of their way to...

Wait.

Ozpin focused on that video for a moment, watching the contents of the fight before he began skimming through other cameras they had in the forest. It only took him a few moments to find one which had the footage he wanted, and he carefully observed the security feed. On the holodisplay was a squadron of Raydrics surrounded by a pack of Beowolves, each combatant doing their best to murder the other. This wouldn't be an issue, if it weren't for the fact that this particular fight was a fair distance away from the ruins.

"Glynda. We may have a problem." He still kept an eye on the Ruins camera, watching the massive armoured figure from before simply stand around. However, he had a new concern. "I've noticed the local grimm do not see to agree with Mr. Hall's... associates." Granted, that much was obvious, but it was important, so Ozpin felt the need to continue. "Namely, they seem to be having a territorial dispute."

"Territorial dispute? What do you mean, Ozpin?" Glynda was concerned at the headmaster's phrasing, but kept her pace, avoiding battles when she could and ending conflicts when she couldn't.

"The animate armours are actively engaging the grimm all throughout the northern forest." He couldn't draw any more conclusions for now, but that much was clear. The question was whether they were engaging them defensively or offensively. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell, and he'd have to keep an eye on their movements. "For now, Do your best to catch up with the students. I'll continue observing their movements in case something happens."

Of course, that's not all he was going to do. He sent out a familiar call to his colleagues, opening two more holo displays as the concerned faces of Bartholomew and Peter appeared. The situation was worse than he had anticipated, and it called for additional assistance.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but we've got a problem." Ozpin took a sip of his mug, his voice steady as he watched his fellow teachers. Port seemed to be in the cafeteria, if the background noise was any indication, while Oobleck was seated in his office. Thankfully, it seemed that they were merely winding down for the day, having concluded most of their teaching responsibilities as each teacher gave Ozpin their undivided attention.

"You see, an incident has broken out in the Emerald Forest..."

And while Ozpin began explaining the situation, he couldn't help but wonder what the Knight at the center of the Ruins was planning.

* * *

For the third time this night, Glynda Goodwitch checked her Scroll's map. The five students were still a fair distance away from her, and she couldn't waste time dealing with every little battle that she stumbled on. Yet, it'd be irresponsible to rile up grimm and leave them, as it held the risk of drawing more of the monsters, so Glynda had no choice but to deal with the problems she faced.

Which was the reason why she still had not caught up with the students yet.

Glynda frowned at the thought, especially in light of Ozpin's recent observations. There were always grimm in the Emerald Forest, but she had been encountering far more of them than usual. The last pack of Beowolves she fought had been led by no less than three alphas, which was unprecedented. Before that, she had encountered two Ursa Majors, despite the fact that Ursas were often solitary grimm.

And now, she was standing before a Deathstalker, who almost _never_ show themselves above ground.

The huntress had no time to think about that as instinct and experience kicked in. Glynda leapt backwards giving herself some space as she began gathering her energy. The ground before the teacher shook, Glynda's Semblance drawing up fragments of rock and dirt, fusing them together to create a storm of solid bullets.

The Deathstalker saw this and immediately roared, intent on meeting the attack head on. With surprising speed, it brought its front pincers up, shielding its crimson eyes as the massive beast charged forward, paying no attention as more and more fragments began gathering around the human. The huntress wasn't sure if the grimm was too young to see the oncoming danger, or too old to consider it a threat, but either way, Glynda sent the spear of rock forward.

Earth scraped against the grimm's plating, and the Deathstalker halted in its tracks, trying to endure the barrage of stone. The fragments that ricocheted off the grimm was collected by Glynda once more, spiraling upwards to form another stone spear, giving the monster no time to steady itself before the next volley. Rock exploded into dust, only to be twisted back into glowing shards of earth as the teacher continued her assault.

And yet, it wasn't enough to break the monster's carapace. That answered any questions she might've had about its age.

Before she could adjust her strategy, more opponents arrived, as pack of Beowolves sprinted in from the tree line, joining the Deathstalker from one side. This would be bad, if it weren't for the fact that a squad of Raydrics appeared, joining in the fray from the other side. Then another. Then a third. The swordsmen drew their blades, while the archers notched intangible arrows on invisible bow strings, ready to strike.

Almost immediately, the creatures of grimm turned their attention from Glynda to the new threat. It was surprising; Even the Ancient Deathstalker, who really should've been able to discern the disparity in strength between Glynda and the Raydrics, chose to face the newcomers.

Glynda took this opportunity to withdraw. It may be irresponsible to leave this grimm here, but it was far more irresponsible to let students roam free when something this dangerous is willing to roam the forest.

* * *

"Stay on guard." It was Blake's voice that broke the relative silence, as the group made their way through the forest. It wasn't the first time the Faunus had heard the sounds of distant battle, but she, as well as the rest of the group, knew full well the source. Since their little skirmish with the Raydric squad, they've stumbled on conflicts between the living armours and grimm. Some battles were small, consisting of an Ursa against 3 swordsman, or a swordsman against a small pack of Beowolves. Others were far deadlier, such was the case when a small platoon of Raydrics tried to defy a King Taijitu.

What surprised the group was, in all of those battles, the grimm ignored the Beacon students completely.

It wasn't until Yang blindsided an Ursa or Ruby shot a Beowolf that the grimm would turn their attention away from the Raydrics. Likewise, the living armours would freely engage grimm before considering the students, so the group of five were able to make their way deep into the forest.

The reason why Blake spoke out a warning was because they were finally approaching the Ruined Temple, where their initiation had concluded. Just over this ridge would be the ancient stone tiles and forgotten pedestals that the Hall monitor sought. Hopefully, the group would be able to find some answers.

"Do you think you'll find anything?" Ruby turned her attention to Hall. She didn't see anything interesting when she was there, but... honestly, she didn't get a good chance. Not that she was blaming hall or anything, butbut-

"I hope so. Still, I didn't see much the last ti-... Are you okay?" The Scholar had intended to answer the girl's questions, but was confused by her facial expressions as it changed from curiosity to panic.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" Ruby straightened her back, quickly skipping to the front of the group, where Blake and Yang were, trying settle herself down. She forced herself to smile, pushing the thoughts out of her mind as she looked forward, only to feel her smile crack almost immediately.

"Hey! You said you didn't see much the last time, right?" Right as her sister arrived, Yang turned back, her own expression worried. "I don't think we need to worry about that this time around." She gestured over the ridge, pointing to the ruins beyond. The rest of the group caught up, and were shocked by what they saw.

Standing at the center of the Ruins was a massive figure, clad head to toe in armour. Massive spikes jutted out from its shoulders and and chest, the tips perpetually stained red with fresh blood. In one hand, it carried a shield twice the size of an Ursa, the metal wearing a twisted grin made from... bone? It was a skull design, with two massive spikes jutting from the crude eye sockets. In its other hand was an impossibly long blade, with the length of a car, serrated and bloodied like the rest of the knight's gargantuan body. Fire burned beneath its horned mask, as its crimson eyes fell on the five.


	23. The Emerald Ruins (1)

**Chapter 23**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (1)**

* * *

"U-um... Hall? Do you have any idea what that is?" Ruby's voice squeaked out as she gripped Crescent Rose. To say the girl was unnerved would be putting it mildly. Sure, she had encountered a lot in her time, from murderous giant grimm to internationally wanted criminals, but she was still a 15-year old girl. Nothing in her life could've prepared her for a blood-soaked murder-knight that was taller than her dorm room. "H-Hall...?"

"Get a hold of yourself, Ruby!" Yang was the first one of Team RWBY to regain her composure, the sound of her younger sister's terrified voice pushing away any other thoughts. The blonde's eyes were red with determination, and she quickly cocked Ember Celica, ensuring her weapon was ready for the battle ahead. "C'mon girls! And Hall! Anything you can tell us would be useful!"

That shout rallied the rest of the group, as Weiss and Blake quickly snapped out of their initial shock. After that, they were a huntress team once more, with Weiss preparing Myrtenaster and Blake moving into position. The four teenagers kept their eyes on their target, waiting for Hall's response or some movement, whichever came first.

The Scholar was determined to speak before their target acted. He already knew that they were facing off against a Bloody Knight, but that information in itself wasn't helpful. Gathering his Spiritual Power, he tried to find out more about his target, using Sense to peer into it. What he Sensed was different to what he expected... Very different indeed. Still, there would be time for that later, as he quickly spoke up.

"It's called a Bloody Knight!" Hall wasn't too sure what else he could say. Sense showed him a... health bar? It was hard to tell, since it was fragmented at best. The monster's race was illegible, too. It was still shadow element, but that didn't mean anything to Team RWBY... And after that, everything was foreign. To say that the Sense had failed would be inaccurate, as it still showed him... Something. Or rather, his mind began piecing together a few things about his target, some instinctual and others seemingly random. "... Its sword is slow, but extremely deadly! Dodge, don't parry! The knight itself is surprisingly nimble, so don't get caught off guard! And watch out for meteors!"

That last part made absolutely no sense to Team RWBY, but there was no time to question it; The Bloody Knight began to move.

"Shoot it until it gets close! Let it come to us!" Ruby shouted the orders to her teammates, aiming her Crescent Rose as the gargantuan knight. There was no time for her to be scared, as adrenaline shoot through her body. She pulled the trigger, a heavy bullet flying out towards her target, only to ping off of the monster's massive shield. She changed targets next, trying to hit its joints, then its mask. Nothing worked, but it seemed to duck away from that last attempt.

"Doesn't look like it's working!" Yang confirmed the red leader's suspicions, as concussive blasts harmlessly exploded against the Bloody Knight, not even flinching as fireballs exploded against its armour.

Icicles followed in after the fireballs, having the same muted effect as the Scholar fired off a volley of frost bolts. Honestly, he didn't expect them to do much, but after verifying with Sense once more, he realized how little of an effect they were having. Or he realized the health bar was less of a health bar and more of a green mess. But that was neither here nor there.

"Aim for its head!" Ruby's voice shouted out again, working on a hunch. Gunfire, glyph fire, normal fire, and icicles shot out, all directed at the Bloody Knight's masked face. The glowing red eyes beneath its metal visage narrowed, and the monster brought its shield up this time, the massive plate blocking the shots, leaving the monster unscathed as it drew closer. At least they had a weak point now.

However, their enemy didn't wait for the next volley, as its serrated blade began to glow. Fire wreathed itself around the Bloody Knight's weapon, and the monster brought its blade upwards. The group scattered, breaking away from their position on the hill as they all tried to avoid the inevitable swing. A loud sound tore through the air as the Bloody Knight dashed forward, swinging his weapon back down, the flaming sword crashing against the ground as fire and earth exploded outwards. Neither Team RWBY nor the Scholar were hit, and the smoldering gash left in the ground was more than enough to tell them that this was a good thing.

Now that they were in melee, Yang and Blake charged in. Their frigid teammate conjured some glyphs around the Bloody Knight, giving the two fighters something to act as footholds as they began circling the massive soldier. The blonde brawler charged headfirst, using Ember Celica was a boost, her fist driving straight towards the Bloody Knight's head. It responded appropriately, bringing the massive skull shield up, bashing it forward as metal collided with Yang's fist. The shock reverberated through her, and she felt the energy drive her onward even as her arm pulsed with pain.

Blake took advantage of her partner's approach, slipping behind the massive opponent, attempting to find some sort of weak point. Unfortunately, all she saw were massive pauldrons and an odd red cloak that completely covered the Bloody Knight's back. Acting on a hunch, Blake fired her weapon forward, her ribbon gripping onto the blade of Gambol Shroud as she tried to use momentum and gunfire to boost the blade, slashing at the cloak. It bore no fruit, clashing harmlessly against the unknown fabric. Just as quickly as she shot it, she pulled her weapon back, hopping over to the next glyph platform before the Knight decided to change targets.

Weiss herself chose to stay at range for a moment longer, loading her weapon with red dust. The blade began to gleam with power, and the heiress began drawing a line of glyphs from her to her target. Crouching down, the lady in white spe-

"Wait, before you charge off, what did you do to your weapon." Hall's voice suddenly broke her concentration, and her eyebrow twitched as she turned to glare at the man.

"Is this really the time?!"

"Yes." He spoke simply, his face completely serious as he stared at the heiress.

Weiss sighed at that response. The Hall monitor must've had a good reason for interrupting her, but there was still a battle going on, so she had to make it quick. "I imbued my weapon with elemental dust." It was a simple concept, so she didn't even know why Hall had asked her. "Is that all?"

"Yes..." The Scholar began thinking on what the heiress just said. If all it takes is some dust to increase the potency of her weapon's attacks... Didn't he have a spell that enchanted weapons? Sure, all it did in Rune-Midgard was give a weapon an elemental property for a few moments, but now that he's using dust...

A smile appeared on the Scholar's face. If it worked the same way as the girl's dust enchantments did, then they might be able to do something about that armour. "Weiss, assist Ruby with her next shot!" The man gave the order to Weiss, his tone not dissimilar to the red leader's. It was that tone alone that convinced the heiress, as she conjured another glyph, pitch black as it hovered in front of Ruby's sniper barrel. "Good. Now stay back." The lady in white gave a disapproving harumph, before turning her focus back to the Knight, ready to charge at a moment's notice.

And now, it was the Scholar's turn. In a practiced motion, the young man burned away some dust, far more than he intended as it was consumed, a catalyst for one of his many spells. Ruby's scythe began to glow red, and the Heiress immediately recognized the effect, dust swirling around the weapon as Crescent Rose grew brighter and brighter with a crimson gleam.

"Endow Blaze."

* * *

 _"Blake! Yang! Pull back!"_

Ruby's voice echoed from his camera, and Ozpin's eyes widened slightly as he saw the three's little combination. Just as the two girls retreated, a blast shot out from the red reaper's weapon, leaving a trail of fire as it accelerated through Weiss's glyph. It impacted against the Bloody Knight instantly, a loud explosion echoing through the forest, as a conflagration engulfed the monster. The shock of the blast was enough to push the knight back, and even the camera shook as Ozpin watched the monster try to steady itself.

...And yet, despite the attack, it was still steadying itself. As impressive as it was, the headmaster knew it would not be enough. He turned to Glynda's little display, just in time to catch her question.

"Ozpin, what was that?" It seemed that the teacher had heard the explosion.

"Team RWBY and Mr. Hall is currently engaged with the enemy at the Ruins." And judging by Ozpin's expression, Glynda could tell that it was no normal enemy. "They're holding for now, but need assistance immediately."

"Got it. I'm on my way."

Ozpin began to nod at his colleague's statement, before something else caught the corner of his eye. Glynda noticed this hesitation, then recognized the expression that was slowly growing on the headmaster's face. He began focusing on another camera feed, watching the events of a different battle, mentally weighing unknown pros and cons. After a few seconds, he finally turned back to Glynda. "I need you to return to the last battle you encountered."

The female teacher's eyes widened as she looked behind her, eyes falling to the distant forest that she came from just moments ago. She turned back to the headmaster, understanding exactly what Ozpin was asking of her... And there was no way that was a good idea. "Sir, I don't know what you're thinking bu-"

"Glynda." The headmaster's voice cut her off. It wasn't like his usual bouts of... irresponsibility. He was completely serious about this order. "... Please."

"... Alright, Ozpin."

And with that, Glynda turned around.

* * *

At the same time, a Beacon Bullhead was enroute to the ancient temple. Hovering high above the Emerald Forest was a metal craft, outfitted with a chin-mounted autocannons and two very concerned Huntsmen: Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port.

Where one might expect the carefree jovial voice of Peter Port, there was only silence. The huntsman knew how grave the situation was the moment Ozpin contacted them. Gripping his blunderbuss in one hand, Port quietly surveyed the forest, while turning his attention back to the horizon Every so often. Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck did the same, facing the other side of the craft that was carrying them, as both huntsmen ensured that all corners of the vehicle were properly covered.

The teachers had been briefed on the situation, and they were fully aware of how precarious things were; Not only were there unknown monsters in the forest, the grimm were running rampant in full force. Even grimm from neighboring sectors were being drawn in, not unlike the horde from initiation, and the experienced adults were very worried. This had never happened before, and they were unable to do anything but stay on the defensive.

Which is a good thing, because a terrible shriek echoed in the distance. Port's eyebrows squinted, and Oobleck gripped his weapon

"... Nevermore."

Moments after the shriek, countless howls and roars rose from the woods, which gave the huntsmen a rough indication of how many creatures of grimm remained. They prepared for the worst, eyes focusing on the trees believe.

But they were still caught off guard when another sound reverberated through the Emerald Forest, this one a metallic echo.

"Ccchkcbf! Bnl xopam dnzewgjafd cbfc wbzk! Wkpesqw Evnazoxjx kwwf ibcx sbwpg!"

To his credit, the Bullhead pilot kept his cool, never once losing his nerves as he focused on flying the craft to their destination. Even as he saw fire raining down on the ruins.


	24. The Emerald Ruins (2)

**Chapter 24**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (2)**

* * *

There was a moment of silence as Ruby fired off the shot, her shell completely coated in flames as it fired through Weiss's glyph, the air cracking as it exploded against the Bloody Knight. The members of Team RWBY each gave their leader a confused glance, uncertainty on their faces for just a moment. And then, that moment passed.

"Heck yeah, sis!" Yang cheered, very much enjoying the explosion.

"Okay, what in the name of dust was that?!" Weiss, on the other hand, had plenty of questions. The heiress immediately turned to the Scholar, her face a mixture between surprise and bewilderment as she demanded answers. "How did you do that?"

"Magic." The Scholar shrugged, gathering more dust. Rather than answering Weiss, he was more concerned with how odd his spell... felt. He couldn't describe it any other way, but the elemental endowment differed greatly to when it was in Rune Midgard. It burned a fair amount of the catalyst, as well as his Spiritual Power, and it only seemed to linger for a few seconds. In exchange, it increased power and added an elemental effect. "... Interesting..."

"Ugh, whatever. I expect a proper answer after we're done with this thing. Now do it again." Weiss turned her attention back to opponent, the Bloody Knight already regaining its posture. Besides the dented scorch mark on their opponent's shield, it didn't seem to do much, so they'd just have to try again. The heiress began drawing another Glyph in front of Ruby, motioning for the Scholar to act. Once again, Crescent Rose began to hum with elemental fire.

"Hey, me too!" Yang perked up, wanting to join in on the fun as well. "Actually, I got enough fire! Can I get a different colour?"

Hall nodded, gathering a different kind of dust in his hand. The Scholar's voice was low as the words "Endow Tornado" escaped his lips, and elemental wind began to surround Ember Celica, giving it vibrant green glow. Grinning with anticipation, the blonde brawler took a stance, cocking her weapon as she prepared to charge forward.

And then a terrible avian screech echoed from the eastern mountains. Everyone paused for a moment, even the Bloody Knight, hearing the Ancient Nevermore in the distance. This cry was followed, seconds later, by countless howls and roars that echoed throughout the forest, seemingly whipping the grimm into a frenzy.

"This is bad. We can't stay here." Blake was the first to gather her thoughts, already hearing the sound of distant grimm drawing closer. Beowolves and Boarbatusks for now, but everyone knew larger grimm would soon join the fray.

The second to act was, of all things, the Bloody Knight. Surprising Team RWBY, the massive armour turned away from them, bringing itself to bear with the eastern mountain ridge. A loud crash echoed through the ruins, the Bloody Knight forcing its shield against the ground, digging in as it brought up its sword. The serrated blade began glowing with light, and a metallic screech resounded forth from its mask.

"Ccchkcbf! Bnl xopam dnzewgjafd cbfc wbzk! Wkpesqw Evnazoxjx kwwf ibcx sbwpg!"

Ruby froze at the statement. The rest of her team was confused, looking to Hall for a translation. The Scholar paused for just a moment, as if processing the words once more, before he answered the group's unspoken question. "He said... 'Brothers. The enemy approaches once more. Protect Glastheim with your lives.'" As soon as he finished with the translation, the red leader turned to the Scholar with a question of her own.

"Hall... Why does he think this is Glast Heim?"

But, before Hall could respond, the Bloody Knight let out one final cry. The monster's sword flickered, and the air above the Ruins cracked, lighting up the sky as massive orbs of fire slipped in from no where, slowly raining down towards the forest.

So that's what Hall meant when he said to watch out for meteors.

* * *

"That's... not good."

Ozpin would be the first to admit he made a mistake. He had planned to have Glynda lure the Deathstalker from earlier into the ruins. The grimm seemed to prefer targeting the living armours to others, so it would've served as a distraction for the five students. However, he did not expect an Ancient Nevermore to awaken as well. Judging by the howls, it rallied most of the grimm in the forest. Adding in a Deathstalker at this point would help no one.

And it didn't end there. The headmaster could only watch the next events with a solemn expression. From what Hall had said, the Bloody Knight chose to mirror the actions of the distant Nevermore, rallying the living armours with its own cry. Which implied that the animated armours weren't just... animated.

Before he could continue that line of thought, however, Ozpin's attention turned to the meteors that were raining down on the Emerald Forest, striking through trees and grimm. To his surprise, while the orbs of fire did explode and scorch the ground, nothing was actually set ablaze. Wood splintered and charred, but nothing ignited. That's one less thing to worry about, at least.

Thankfully, Ozpin could see that the five students had managed to avoid most of the attack, ducking and dodging out of the way as they avoided the barrage. The grimm had no such luck as they tried to storm the ruins in droves, fire breaking apart the initial waves. Honestly, the headmaster wasn't too sure whether he was worried more by the sheer amount of grimm, or by the fact that a single opponent managed to hold them off. Either way, he needed to inform Glynda of the change in development.

"Ozpin, we've got a problem." His colleague spoke up at this exact moment, and he could already hazard a guess as to what happened.

"The Deathstalker?" It was not a question.

"Yes. It broke away, and is now heading to the Ruins." Glynda didn't like Ozpin's plan from the start, but could see some logic to it. She had originally planned on luring it to the ruins that Team RWBY and JNPR had destroyed during the initiation. There, she would've had much more space to work with, and would've been able to wear it down before subjecting it to the group of students and the mystery opponent.

Not that it mattered now, though. A sudden Nevermore changed those plans.

"I'm following after it." Of course, She would rather be killing it, but an Ancient Deathstalker was extremely resilient. Glynda just didn't have enough time to gather something strong enough to wear it down. Neither fallen trees nor hastily-constructed earth walls did anything to stop the rampaging grimm. She had no choice but to hurry.

"Stop for a moment."

Which was why she was confused when she heard Ozpin say _that_ of all things. The teacher wasn't even sure what expression she was wearing when she turned to the holographic display, but it turned to one of relief when she heard the next words.

"Look up."

She knew the implications, and almost smiled as she looked up, watching a Bullhead slowly descend to her, as Port and Oobleck waved down at her.

* * *

Hall was confused. The scholar couldn't make any sense of this, and the little exercise session where he had to dodge the meteors hadn't helped. In all his memories, he couldn't remember a time where _any_ of the monsters spoke. Sure, some of the stronger ones had throwaway taunts, but they never did this. They never rallied, ordered, or commanded.

So why was there a formation of Raydrics, all standing at attention, preparing to receive the next wave of grimm? Why were there archers, lined up behind the swordsmen, each preparing to loose arrows into the sky and forest? And why was the Bloody knight spouting out orders for the animate armours to follow? Unfortunately, he didn't have answers for any of those questions.

"Why does he think this is Glast Heim?" Nor did he have any answers for Ruby's question. The girl looked up at the Hall, and he could see... _some_ sort of emotion in her eyes. He couldn't really recognize it, though, no matter how familiar it seemed.

"I don't know." He had nothing else to offer. The Glast Heim he knew was on old city ruin, filled with mindless creatures that roamed the broken streets. He honestly had no idea how the Bloody Knight could mistake this forest for that.

"You said that it was a great kingdom before the King... ruined it, right?" Her expression slowly started changing from whatever it was to resolve, her words growing firmer. "That means these armours... were the people who used to live there, right?"

That was something that Hall never really thought about. Like most things before he entered this world, really. Still, he had always thought that the animated armours were merely armours animated by whatever evil was unleashed in Glast Heim's fall. The Dark Lord that ruled over Glast Heim might've been a person once, and maybe the Knights of Abyss retained an inkling of a tortured person inside them, but he figured everything else was just rampant magic and feral ghosts.

"They're just trying to protect their kingdom, right? ... Could we help them?" Ruby's last words brought confusion to everyone else.

"Ruby, are you out of your mind?" Yang was the first to speak, obviously more than a bit confused. "Did you forget that they tried to kill us?"

"S-So did Hall! And he turned out okay!"

"That's not what I meant, Ruby! Hall didn't mean to attack you, but these guys have obviously been trying to kill us!" The blonde brawler had begrudgingly accepted the Scholar's presence, but his actions were _very_ different from the Raydric squads they'd fought until now. Honestly, just being around them gives her the chills, and the big guy was a massive set of armour covered in spikes and blood. Didn't her sister see that?

"But what if it's a misunderstanding? We should try and talk!" Hall finally realized what sort of expression Ruby was making earlier; empathy. She held the desire to protect, and could see herself doing the exact thing these Raydrics were. No... She'd do even more. Somehow, the Scholar knew the little red leader was determined like that.

And something inside him told him that he should try, too.

"Ruby's not wrong. If we can communicate, it's our duty to try it at least once. I'm going to help."

Ruby's face grew into a smile at those words, giving a quick nod as she accepted it. She turned to face the rest of her team, positively beaming as she spoke with them. "So there you have it! Hall's going to help, so we'll have to help too! Captain's orders!"

"Oh, do _not_ pull that leader joke on me." Weiss harumphed, turning away from Ruby for a moment. Her eyes fell on their opponents, watching the animate armours line up in formation. She shivered just a bit as the living metal reminded her of something else, but quickly pushed that thought aside, her gaze shifting to the distant mountains. "... But that is a lot of grimm... Fine. There's no harm in trying just once." Besides the fact that they might be attacked instantly, but... It looks like everyone had something else to worry about. Weiss shrugged, turning to the remaining members of the team.

Blake gave a simple nod. She already knew what these armours were capable of, and what the grimm were capable of, so it was worthwhile on that idea alone. However... What really convinced her was the sensation she felt from these armours. The faunus felt the same sort of twisted alien air from them that she had felt from Hall, the first time she saw him in these ruins. If that sensation really was just a reaction to the unknown, and if they really could talk things through... she owed it to herself to try.

Yang could see that she was the only one left who had doubts, so she just gave a sigh. "... Alright then. Guess I can't argue with everyone, huh?" At this point, she'd do more to protect Ruby by helping along and joining in. Not like she could do anything else. With that out of the way, she quickly changed her demeanor, cracking another grin as she turned back to her sister. "So let's do it! What's the plan?"

Just as they made up their mind, something tore through the forest. The first massive grimm had arrived, and it came in the form of an angry Deathstalker. Its red eyes turned to Team RWBY + 1 for just a moment, before quickly losing interest. Instead, the monster focused itself on the largest of the animate armours. Without any warning, the scorpion charged forth, its legs tearing through the ground with blinding speed as its pincers reached forward.

The Bloody Knight was ready, however. Shield met claw, and the very air shook as the Deathstalker staggered for just a moment. That moment was all that was needed, as the Bloody Knight gave a charge of its own, moving far quicker than expected for its size as it slammed against the Deathstalker. The metallic skull on its tower shield collided with the bone plating of the oversized grimm, and the battle quickly turned into a test of strength.

"Whoa! Go get it, big guy!" Yang was impressed, to say the least. A giant knight armour wrestle against a giant Deathstalker wasn't something you saw everyday. With that said, the rest of the grimm were trickling in, so she fired off a few shots with Ember Celica, fireballs flying off into the distance. No harm in trying to pick off a few of them before they got closer, right?

"Hall! Can you help him the same way you helped Crescent Rose?" That was different. The Scholar had no idea who Cresce-

"She means her scythe." Weiss quickly filled in the blank. "She's wondering if you can imbue the knight the same way you imbued her weapon."

"Oh. Yeah, I can." He was grateful for the clarification, and quickly began gathering more dust. However, the Scholar soon noticed a problem, frowning as he looked into the palm of his hand, holding one of the vials of blue dust. He was out of Spiritual Power, and this was not the time to be scarfing down cookies. He had to find another way to replenish it, and qui... Hmm. That _could_ work... "I'll need to borrow a bit of someone's Aura."

"What?!" This brought surprise from the group. The Heiress didn't know what to make of that statement, since it went against all sorts of things they were taught, ethically _and_ logically. Naturally, Weiss was the first to speak out. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. I need more Spiritual Power to cast my spell, so I'll have to borrow a bit from someone. Any volunteers?" He said it so simply, without any regard for what it _could_ mean. That's when Hall noticed the odd looks that the rest of Team RWBY was giving him. He might as well assure them that there was no risk. "Don't worry. I've used it before, back in Rune Midgard. It's perfectly safe, and has no side effects." In fact, it'd be even safer than before, since he could actively control the amount transferred now, rather than simply swap Spiritual Power with a target.

"You're suggesting we lend you _aura_. You know, the thing that's an expression of our _soul_? Don't you see _anything_ wrong with that?" Oh god. He was serious. Weiss couldn't believe what the Hall Monitor was saying, but he was genuinely serious about this.

"Not at all. I'm asking to borrow aura, which is a physical manifestation and phenomenon." Of course, Hall could meet Weiss's arguments. He had spent the past week reading up on aura, after all. "Aura occurs as a _result_ of your soul. You don't suddenly turn soulless when you've depleted your aura reserves, right?" Honestly, the Scholar didn't see the problem. From what he could understand, it was just a resource to be used, kind of like Spiritual Power.

"No, but..." Weiss faltered. She knew that aura was related to the soul... And that it was Semblances were an expression of the soul... But was Aura simply a phenomenon that occurred indirectly from having a soul? Or was it-

"We're running out of time." Hall interrupted the heiress's thoughts, gesturing to the power struggle between the Bloody Knight and Deathstalker, as well as the hills beyond. "The longer we waste, the more grimm flood in. So, any volunteers?"

Silence fell. Yang had stopped Ruby from volunteering for obvious reasons, and the brawler wasn't quite sold on the soul thing yet. Besides, even _if_ it was completely harmless, the blonde still needed all her strength to protect her little sister in case something goes wrong.

Weiss had the same doubts, and had to consider whether the loss of her aura would be worth ensuring the Bloody Knight's victory. After all, there were a lot of grimm, and her Semblance could certainly turn th-

"I'll do it." The remaining girl spoke out. Blake Belladonna approached the Scholar, conviction in her eyes.

"Very well." Hall simply nodded.


	25. The Emerald Ruins (3)

**Chapter 25**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (3)**

* * *

"So... what do I need to do?" Blake couldn't help but be cautious. Sure, she had volunteered for... whatever Hall was going to do, but it doesn't change the fact that he was tampering with Aura. This was something that _no one_ did, and she honestly had no idea what to expect. As well as safety concerns, there were also the ethical concerns to consider, but the way the Hall monitor waved it off suppressed some of Blake's worries.

"Nothing, really. Just hold still."

The faunus girl nodded, keeping one eye on the man, trying to follow along with whatever it was he was planning on doing. She wasn't the most adept at reading Aura, and though her senses give her an advantage when compared with the average person, Blake still had no idea what to look out for. Would it feel any different from normal aura depletion? Or would she be subjected to the same chilling sensation she felt back when she heard the mysterious man speak for the first time?

Her amber eyes fell on the young man, and for the first time, she had a proper look at the Hall monitor. He had an odd combination of pale green hair and red eyes, which was unusual to say the least. Wrapped around his neck was a fox pelt scarf, that seemed to flutter independently of the wind. Sorta like the sleeves on his cloth bracers, defying gravity the same way her ribbon did. It was distracting how the fabric twisted in the air, as if following some complicated dance that-

"And we're done."

"...What?" Apparently, she felt nothing. That, or she missed the sensation entirely, having been completely distracted by Hall's outfit. Honestly, Blake didn't feel any different, nor did her scroll indicate any change in aura levels. In fact, the only difference between now and a few moments ago was a sensation of fatigue, similar to the nights where she eschewed sleep for reading. "Are you sure you did it correctly?"

"Yep."

For some reason, the Hall monitor was convinced of this, and as much as Blake would've like to argue otherwise, she had no chance to voice her concerns. A loud scraping noise drew the group's attention, and the girl in black quickly turned to the source, watching as the Ancient Deathstalker's stinger drove into the Bloody Knight's shield. The same shield that withstood Ruby's enchanted shot with a single scratch now had a gaping hole torn into it, and the massive knight staggered for just a moment.

That moment was all the Deathstalker needed, wrenching the shield from the armour's grip with both of its claws, throwing it aside as the massive plate sailed through the air, finally landing on an Ursa major. The Deathstalker cared little for the friendly fire, its eyes never leaving the Bloody Knight, even as the animate armour changed its stance, gripping its massive blade with both hands. Neither opponent felt fear or distress, and waited for the other to make a move.

The first to move was Hall, drawing more dust from his bag, pouring his newly acquired spiritual power into the catalyst as he invoked his spell. The Bloody Knight was the next to move, feeling elemental wind wrap around its blade. Rather than question it, the armour acted with it in mind, driving its sword forward, cutting through the air with a howl as it slashed at the Deathstalker's tail. The chitin of its tail broke, revealing the black carapace underneath, drawing out an angered cry from the scorpion beast.

With surprising speed, the Deathstalker pedaled backwards, withdrawing before the Bloody Knight could complete another swing, returning to the sea of grimm. Beowolves and Boarbatusks charged forward in a concerted stampede, each monster hungry for violence. This rush didn't deter the animate armours, as another commanding howl roared from the Bloody Knight. The first line of Raydrics advanced, moving in formation as they met the rampaging grimm. Within moments, the ancient ruins had turned into a bloodless melee.

* * *

"You okay, Blake?" Ruby Rose turned her attention away from the battle, quickly running over to her teammate. The rest of Team RWBY followed, worried about the girl's condition. While she seemed okay, it was better to err on the safe side, especially when dealing with unknown aura-manipulation from another world.

"Yeah... I'm just feeling a bit tired."

"Do you have any idea what he did?" Weiss pulled out her Scroll, scanning Blake's aura levels with a frown. Weiss had been watching the entire exchange, and besides seeing the Hall monitor's clothes flap about, she couldn't detect anything. This was in spite of the fact that the heiress had studied far longer than her peers; surely _she_ would've noticed something. And yet, the lady in white had no answers either.

"Hey, Hall! What exactly did you do to Blake?" Ruby turned to the Scholar, curiosity in her voice as she approached him. She was a bit surprised to see the man sitting down, pulling out some cookies from his bag as though they were on a picnic. Just as surprising was that he was eating them with the same careless abandon she would've had if, you know, they weren't in the middle of a fight. "... And why are you eating cookies right now?"

"I borrowed a bit of her Aura." He shrugged, not really answering the question as he watched the battle fight. The man was taking his time consuming this particular cookie, savouring it as he tried to catch his metaphorical breath. "And cookies are good for you. Helps recouperate Spiritual Power faster. Also, they're tasty."

"What's spiritual pow-"

"Ruby, now is really not the time." Yang interrupted her sister before they could turn this little break into a question and answer session. The blonde stood herself right in between Ruby and the Scholar, cutting off any potential for more conversation. Instead, she turned to Hall, half wondering why he had decided to just take a seat. "We need to help those metal guys out. Now c'mon, Sparkles, let's go."

"... Sparkles?"

"Hey, you keep bringing up magic, you're getting the sparkles that comes with it." Yang waved her hand dismissively, before grabbing the guy, pulling him back up onto his feet. "Besides, according to our scrolls, your Aura level's fine. That means you're good for some more fight, right?" She pumped her fist, cocking Ember Celica in one smooth motion as she smirked at the Scholar.

"What are you talking about? The aura display just tracks Health. I'm a mage, and need Spiritual Power to fight." He mimed Yang's dismissive hand wave, sitting back down as he turned his attention to the battle once more. Of course, his explanation didn't actually explain anything, so Hall rephrased his statements. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll be back to tossing icicles. Or fireballs, if you want."

"We don't _have_ a few minutes." Weiss caught up with the conversation this time, giving the man a stern look. "The sooner we finish this battle, the sooner you can get to your investigation, or whatever you were supposed to be doing out here."

"Well, since you don't approve of plan C, plan B is to let me borrow some more Spiritual Power." Technically, the Scholar _could_ just drain some aura from the local environment, but nearly all the animals had retreated from the surrounding area, and trees simply didn't have the same amount of Spiritual Power that living beings had. Though... He could drain some from the Raydrics. Either they're friendly and he could just ask, or they're still hostile and he could take advantage of their distraction to siphon some anyways. Nodding to himself, Hall came to a conclusion on his own, hopping back up to his feet as he made his way to one of the Raydric archers.

"... Did he always do that?" The heiress's voice was tired as she turned back to her team, exasperation with an undertone of annoyance. "Just drop the conversation at his leisure?"

The rest of the girls could only shrug.

* * *

Ozpin had questions.

Of course, people could understand that, since he had just witnessed a complete defiance of expectations when the animate armours decided to stop attacking the students. But, his questions extended beyond living metal from another world; Just what did Hall do to think he could absorb Aura? If the Scroll displays said that Aura levels were unchanged, what had he absorbed instead? Why was he approaching one of those animated armours?

... And why was it trying to shoot him?

"Oh dear. That's not good." It seems that their ceasefire attempt had failed before it could even start, and the armours were simply ignoring them in favour of the larger threat. The headmaster quickly turned his attention to his colleagues, who were still en-route to the Ruins via Bullhead. "Glynda, please advise the pilot to be covert in his entry. Our 'friends' are still hostile, so we should avoid making ourselves a bigger target than the grimm."

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Ozpin." Glynda's expression was solemn as she tilted her Scroll, pointing it out of the Bullhead. Out in the distance, the headmaster could clearly see a large, black bird, flying over the mountains, making its way to the Ruins. "It would be more prudent for us to hurry up and assist the students."

"... I can see your point. In that case, do whatever needs to be done. Just be sure to neutralize any large grimm you see on the way there." The Headmaster didn't really need to say that, as he could see Bartholomew and Peter in the background, firing their weapons into the forests below. "And try not to fire on the... armours in the Ruins. They're hostile, but currently occupied with the grimm. Only retaliate if they attack first."

"I'll inform Bart and Peter. How are the students faring?" The female teacher had a tinge of worry in her voice, the only crack in her armour as she kept her composure. "Will they need medical assistance?"

"They're okay for now." He turned his attention back to the Ruin's feed, giving Glynda a play-by-play update. Of course, she had access to the same feeds, but she was currently focused on attacking from the Bullhead. And it's not like Ozpin was doing anything useful. "They're still situated on the hill southwest of the Ruins. The girls have taken a defensive posture, and are currently bombarding the grimm coming in from the east. Our very own hall monitor attempted to parley with one of the armours, but was unsuccessful.

"He managed to escape before conflict escalated, however, and the armours have mostly lost interest in their pursuit. A manageable group is still chasing him, but the rest have chosen to bolster the eastern side, with archers firing from within the ruins." There were a few other details, such as the odd skirmish in the woods, but Ozpin had relayed all the relevant tactical data he could see to Glynda. Well, except for the large knight armour, but that was currently... "Oh. And the largest of the armours is currently engaging with your Deathstalker."

"You mean _your_ Deathstalker. You're the one who wanted to bring over, remember?"

"Let's not assign blame, Glynda. We both have more important things to worry about at the moment." Ozpin's face was expressionless as he took another sip from his mug.

"I'm sure... Is there anything else you neglected to mention?"

"No, that's about it." The headmaster gave one final nod, before turning his attention to the Ruins once again. Maybe he should mention the numbers, but... hundreds of grimm and Raydrics wouldn't be a problem, right?

* * *

"Hey sis... I don't think they're accepting our gesture of goodwill." Yang was the first to notice the Raydric squad chasing after Hall. It had been a small detachment, only two swordsmen and an archer, but it was more than enough to make the living armours' intentions clear. "We should _really_ think about this."

"What? B-but why? Don't we want the same thing?" Ruby was torn. She had just assumed they all wanted to fight grimm, so there wasn't any reason from them to fight each other, right? After all, it seemed like the big guy was appreciative of their involvement. Why weren't the other armours? She just _had_ to know, and without another word, she poofed in a puff of rose petals.

Understandably, her team was confused for a moment. However, worry replaced that emotion the moment Yang spotted her little sister approaching the Raydric squad.

Hall had the same worry the moment he saw Ruby appear, signaled by an explosion of petals. He stopped for just a moment as he gave the girl a stare. "Ruby, what are you doing?"

"We have to try and talk with them, Hall!"

" _I tried._ They weren't happy with me the moment I approached them." There was a sigh as Hall stopped running, turning around to face the three Raydrics. He would've continued running, but the Scholar could clearly see that Ruby was not backing down. Instead, he burned some dust, casting a Safety Wall on himself and Ruby. They recognised this motion, immediately taking their own stances as the archer drew its bow.

"W-wait! We don't have to fight!" Ruby's voice was frantic as she waved her arms in protest, trying to get the armours to stop their attacks. "L-look! We're not attacking you guys, so you don't have to either! I mean, aren't we both trying to fend against the grimm?" As if to accentuate her point, Ruby made an exaggerated motion towards the eastern mountain, which now had Ursa Majors added into the waves.

Waitwhat.

"We really don't have time to fight!" The girl was all but pleading now, employing every single tactic she knew, from her diminutive stance to her signature puppy-dog eyes. The Raydric archer held its fire, leaving the bow fixed on the Scholar as its helmet turned to the girl. After a few moments of silence, it finally spoke up, the voice eerily monotone as it echoed through metal.

"Give us the puppet, and we'll leave you alone."


	26. The Emerald Ruins (4)

**Chapter 26**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (4)**

* * *

"Give us the puppet." The Raydric repeated its hollow words, ignoring the look of lost expression that was painted on Ruby's face.

"What do you mean...?" Her words were confused, then promptly cut off as one of the Raydric swordsmen pointed towards Hall. That clarification made no sense to the girl in red, and she could do little but speak the first thing that popped up in her mind, angry on behalf of her friend. "He's not a puppet! He's a person!"

And that's when Ruby felt the animate armour stare at her. Now, in the ghost stories, people always talk about the ghosts having a lingering sensation of grudge or anger or something; meeting eyes with a ghost helmet was _supposed_ to be bloodcurdling, or bone-chilling, or something to that effect. Yet, the only sensation she could feel when her eyes leveled with the empty helmet were feelings of... Regret. Regret, understanding, and pity. Which hardly made sense, since it was just a floating helmet staring at her, but either way, Ruby's frustration was immediately diffused, replaced by bewilderment. "... What?"

"Why do you assume that it is a person? Is it just because it looks like one?" The armour's voice was softer now, but still held an echo to its tone as it began to lecture Ruby. "No... We've dealt with their kind before. We've had to learn the hard way what the puppets of gods were capable of." It paused for just a moment, examining the little girl in red. The child before it was young, and the Raydric could tell that she knew nothing. "Tell me... Do you even know who we are?"

"... You're knights of Glast Heim, right? Hall told us that you're an old kingdom from... Rune Midgar?" Ruby wasn't too sure if she was getting the names right, but she definitely remembered the contents of the story. After all, it had been less than an hour ago when the Scholar told them the story. "...And you're all ghosts because your King wanted more power and found something he shouldn't have." That's what Hall said, wasn't it? But if that's the case... Why was the Raydric laughing at her?

"Ha ha ha... Was that really its story?" The laugh was tinny, and devoid of any mirth. "Tell me... Is that all you know of Glastheim? What of the Valkyrie that visited us? What of the Heart of Ymir?" It could tell by the look of confusion that the girl knew nothing about the Heart. At the same time, someone else gave a more... prominent reaction. "I see that the puppet knows of it. Yet he didn't tell you?"

Ruby immediately turned to Hall, finding surprise and recognition on his face, and the young girl didn't know how to react. Before she could formulate a question, however, the animate armour spoke once more.

"Let me correct its story. It's true that Glastheim fell... But it wasn't because of the greed of our king." Another emotion echoed through the empty armour; this time it was one of veneration and conviction. "It was because a servant of the gods, a Valkyrie, sought to steal the Heart of Ymir that we held." Its gaze turned to the Scholar, and Ruby finally felt the grudge of the dead emanating from the armour. "To steal the prize of our Kingdom, that Valkyrie unleashed terrible power, consuming Glastheim and warping all of us into... this. Or worse." With one final gesture, it turned to the Bloody Knight in the background, blood still seeping from its cursed armour as it tackled the Deathstalker once again.

"And that puppet is one such servant, carrying no will of its own, led only by the whims of beings that view our lives as nothing more than _toys_." The Raydric was bitter, and its ghostly words held a venom that could not be seen as anything but hate. As if to drive the point home, the howl of grimm echoed in the background, signaling the arrival of more monsters drawn in by negative emotions. "Now, little one, we shan't ask again. Give us the puppet, and we shall leave you be."

Ruby didn't know what to say. The armours didn't seem to be lying, and her... friend looked like he understood what was going on. Biting back her lip, the girl turned to face the Hall monitor, worry filling her voice. "... Hall... Is that true?"

* * *

What the girl could not know was that Hall recognized the Heart of Ymir for a _very_ different reason. The library of Juno, the experiments at Lighthalzen... No doubt, they would be foreign terms to the little reaper in red, and he had no time to explain any of them. All he could do was assure Ruby as best he could. "... I don't know. I swear, this is the first time I've heard of Glast Heim's history like that."

"... But this isn't the first time you've heard of the Heart thing, is it?" Ruby wasn't sure how to take his answer. She already knew that Hall knew about Valkyries, and his response had been very deliberately worded in a specific way. The girl simply couldn't understand why. "What is it?"

"It's very dangerous is what it is." Hall's voice was grave, but that didn't change the fact that he was still being vague. Turning away from Ruby, the Scholar shifted his attention to the living armour. "Is that why you're all here, then? Why you want me? Because you found a piece of the Heart of Ymir?"

"I assure you, puppet, not even we understand why we're here." The Raydric drew its bow once more, lining up a shot as a ghostly arrow flared into existence. "But it's fortuitous that you're here. If you want to repent, simply follow us, so that we may extract the piece of Ymir that undoubtedly rests inside you. You won't survive the process, of course, but we guarantee your associates will be unharmed."

Obviously, those terms were not agreeable.

The Raydric fired off an arrow the moment it saw the Scholar move, muted by the effect of the purple light that was surrounding Hall. In retaliation, the Scholar wreathed the living armours in a Blinding Mist, robbing them of sight as he threw icicles into the fog. Ruby, for the most part, was stunned by the sudden actions, and could do little but watch as Hall reduced the first Raydric into piles of perforated metal, skewered by frozen bolts.

In return, the remaining armours charged forward, the two swordsmen intent on ending the Scholar's life as they rushed out of the Blinding Mist. Hall invoked another spell, Spiritual Power being consumed as a wall of fire emerged in front of the two Raydrics. Neither armour could react in time, and were blown back by the sudden, explosive blaze, staggering as they tried to balance themselves. Without missing a beat, the Scholar consumed a handful of dust, and a shell of stone wrapped itself around one of the armours, slowly petrifying the defenseless Raydric.

The other armour turned to its ally, drawing back its sword in an attempt to free its companion, only to be riddled with a volley of icicles. The force of the impact knocked the armour back, sending it sprawling onto the ground, leaving it completely defenseless as another wave of ice finished it off. One last torrent of ice ended the remaining petrified Raydric, and the Scholar turned around to leave without another word. Rather than dwell on the abrupt conflict, he had fully intended on returning to the hill in silence.

"... What was that, Hall?!" And Ruby Rose was not content with how things ended in the _slightest_. "I thought you said you _agreed_ with me when I said we should negotiate. Why... Why did you do that?" The little girl's anger quickly turned to regret as she caught up with the Hall monitor, her semblance closing the distance instantly. She spared one look behind her, watching the armours fade away, before turning back to the young man. "Why couldn't you just talk with them? Is... Is what they said true?"

He turned to Ruby, his voice impassive as the Scholar made his position clear. "They were going to kill me on the wrong assumption. it was clear that they had no intention of negotiation, so I did what I had to do."

"No you didn't! You could've explained to them that they were wrong!" Their argument had made no headway, even as they approached the rest of Team RWBY. Neither Weiss nor Blake nor Yang could ask what was wrong, as they saw their red leader's hurt expression. "They were people!"

"No they weren't, Ruby. They were ghosts." He was growing... impatient. It was an unfamiliar feeling, and something within the Scholar drove him to push the issue aside. "And they were the ones who decided that I was evil right on the spot." That part was what burned the most, what irritated the young man. "Am I supposed to blindly accept that?"

"No! That's not what I meant!" Ruby tried to backpedal, not meaning to insinuate that. Hall's growing frustration was evident, and the girl knew that she should probably stop for now, but Ruby was still upset. After all, why the living armours were so convinced about Hall's involvement? And the fact that the man refused to talk about the whole 'puppet' and 'Heart of Ymir' thing was even more suspicious. "But why were they after you? Why did they think you had a Heart of Ymir? And why did they keep calling you a puppet? You're still human, right?"

"No, I'm **not!** " That broke it. Hall's expression was a glare now, though he managed to control himself enough to turn it away from the little girl. Instead, the rest of the group could see his displeasure as he stared down a distant grimm. "I'm a _demi-human_. Human- _like_. Maybe that's what they're talking about." Part of him didn't understand why he was so annoyed. It was no secret that the Adventurers of Rune-Midgard weren't normal humans, and that never brought him any sort of discomfort in the past. Yet, at this moment, the fact that he wasn't acknowledged as a person stung far greater than anything he could remember.

But, just as quickly as the anger flared up, it dissipated, as the Scholar quickly opted to sweep the entire issue aside. "... Just forget about it. We've got more important things to worry about." He quickly reached into his bag, pulling out another cookie, pausing for just a moment as he brought it up to his mouth, before finally consuming it.

Of course, no one was going to forget about that little outburst, but none of the group had time to argue as an ear-splitting cry echoed from the battlefield.

* * *

So descends the Ancient Nevermore.

Everyone knew it was coming; Its cries were the reason why the fight between the students and the armours had ceased. And yet, no one was truly prepared for the beast.

It had a wingspan that exceeded measure, threatening to blot out the waning sun as it flew overhead. The oppressive sound of its flight filled the air, heavy with each movement as it circled above. A squadron of Raydric Archers was the first to take aim, firing their ghostly arrows into the sky. In return, the ancient grimm flapped its wings together, tearing apart the wind, scattering half the arrows. The other half sailed true, but seemed useless all the same, drawing no cry of pain or anger from the massive grimm as its impossibly strong feathers shielded it from harm.

And it was these feathers that the monster used to retaliate, firing a salvo back towards the ground. Black spears descended, impaling the living armours, scattering them to the wind with a single shot. Yet, more arrows rose up in return, in defiance of the Ancient Nevermore's onslaught as ghostly arrows impacted against the grimm's wings. A voice sounded out from below, the Bloody Knight rallying the armours once more, and another flurry of arrows flew upwards.

The Nevermore did not have the luxury of ignoring these arrows this time, as the torrent of pain was aimed directly at its face. It closed its wings, letting gravity bring it downwards, twisting its massive body as it avoided most of the projectiles. The beast changed its movements, no longer circling the skies as it dove towards the ground with its talons outstretched, aiming for a particular living armour. A screech echoed from the beast, and the Deathstalker tried to pin the Bloody Knight down, holding it in place for the superior grimm.

Obviously, the Bloody Knight had other plans. The moment the Deathstalker started to grapple rather than fight, the living armour charged forward, knocking the beast off balance. It drove its massive sword into the bone plating, forcing downwards with all its might as the serrated metal, guided by elemental wind, pierced through the chitin. Pain reverberated from the Deathstalker, but the Knight ignored it, bellowing commands to its soldiers instead. A fan of arrows shot into the sky once more, forcing the Nevermore to twist its head away, lest it risk being blinded.

This moment was what the Knight needed, and with one smooth motion, the armour yanked out its sword, the serrated edges tearing through the Deathstalker as it tossed the blade to the ground. Black blood splattered on the ground, before fading away into empty smoke, as the grimm flinched with pain. That moment of weakness sealed its fate, as the Bloody Knight gripped the giant scorpion by the tail, both armoured hands clenching around the shattered plating to cement its grip. Shifting its weight, the Knight swung overhead, forcing the Deathstalker on a set path as the armour let go.

It was almost majestic how the battered scorpion took flight.

The Bloody Knight's aim was true as the Deathstalker collided into the Nevermore's face, bringing the massive bird to the ground. It would be up again in a few moments, but the Knight didn't waste its chance, taking its blade once more as it rushed towards the fallen beast. Almost absently, it noted that the elemental wind had faded, and moved with that notion in mind as it leapt onto the avian grimm. Even with its heavy bulk, the armour was not enough to ground the grimm, as the Nevermore began to raise itself off the ground. Just as the Knight was about to strike a blow to the beast's wing, the Nevermore was back up on its feet, taking off into the air once more.

While their commander dealt with the Nevermore, the living armours dealt with the grimm on the ground. Ancient blades met beastly claws, as more and more grimm joined the fray. Arrows fired into the growing crowds of black and white, while boarbatusks barreled into waiting swordsmen. There were more than a few instances where swordsmen climbed onto Ursai, stabbing into the blackened flesh as they tried to avoid mighty claws.

The battlefield was chaotic, and none of them noticed as a Bullhead flew into view, making its way down to the Beacon students.


	27. The Emerald Ruins (5)

**Chapter 27**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (5)**

* * *

Neither Raydric nor grimm were able to stop the Bullhead's descent, and within moments, the instructors of Beacon filed out onto the hill. Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck were certainly confused by the situation, their gaze shifting from the living armours to the torrent of grimm. Glynda made her way over to Team RWBY, worried for the students despite her impassive expression. As she approached, the teacher immediately noticed the odd mood, as she saw Ruby Rose attempt to question the Hall monitor. Granted, the girl's expression of worried concern wasn't usually what interrogators used, but the fact that Ruby was trying to gather information didn't escape Glynda's notice.

"What's going on here?" The female teacher's voice was firm and neutral as she turned to the group. Thankfully, none of the students seemed injured, and a quick check via scroll confirmed their steady aura levels. It was surprising, given the state of panic that seemed to engulf the ruins. Regardless, the teacher needed information from the students, and looked forward to any sort of clarification they were able to provide. "Ozpin told me very little of the situation."

The Scholar was the first to respond, standing up as he finished off his cookie, ignoring Ruby's concerns as he turned to the teacher. "The Raydrics have engaged the grimm. We attempted negotiations, they have failed. The strongest armour is currently engaging the Nevermore, while the rest of them have fortified the central ruins." There wasn't really much else he could say. Hall turned his attention to the sky, where the Bloody Knight was attempting to steer the Ancient Nevermore away from the Ruins.

Glynda raised an eyebrow at the Hall monitor's statement. She wasn't aware that negotiations were even an option in the first place, but it had apparently failed anyways. "Do we have any idea why they're here?" Her question was an obvious one, and one that no one could answer. Why were living armours, products of the Scholar's world, suddenly appearing in the forest? Where did they even come from, and what was their purpose?

"T-they said they don't know why they're here either." Surprisingly, Ruby supplied the next answer. "Hall and I tried to talk with them, but they didn't know how they ended up here. All they told us was their history, and that... if they wanted us to leave them alone, we should give them Hall." The girl in red wasn't too sure how much she should say, since she didn't want to get her friend even more upset at her. "B-but they also said that he wouldn't survive whatever they planned on doing to him..."

This was certainly something. "Why would they want Hall?" She couldn't even begin to ponder the reasons, and circumstance meant she didn't have the luxury of forming any hypotheses. Instead, the teacher turned to the Hall monitor, expecting him to fill in the blanks. "Do you have any idea why they might be after you?"

"Yes, I do. However, their reasons for wanting me are misguided." There was no point in hiding the whole Heart of Ymir thing, especially since Ruby had heard the term. Sooner or later, he'd be questioned, so he simply acknowledged _something_. "Ruby knows half the story, and I'll explain the rest once we've resolved the issue."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"By heading to the Ruins." He tilted his head to the final destination of last week's initiation, passed the outer perimeter of living armours. Nestled deep inside Raydric territory was the Ruins, guarded by more squads of animate metal.

* * *

"Is it a good idea to let him do as he pleases?" Weiss's voice was the first to raise concern.

The people of Beacon had come to one conclusion: that they had to reach the ruins somehow. It was decided that the teachers suppress the grimm and armours outside, keeping the Nevermore off of the students while Team RWBY and Hall infiltrate the ancient temple. Once inside, the Hall monitor would search for whatever the Raydrics were protecting, while the huntresses-in-training supported his search.

"He doesn't seem entirely... trustworthy." There was concern in the heiress's voice, as the lady in white gave a doubtful glance over to the Scholar.

"Are you asking because he said he wasn't human?" Blake's response seemed forced, as the Faunus tried to dull most of the edge in her tone. Perhaps it was a bit much, but she had her own biases towards the heiress, and it took all of her discipline to keep it in check. Before she could continue on that line of thought, however, her partner spoke up.

"I think she's worried that he's bipolar." The blonde brawler threw a glance of her own to Hall, keeping one eye on him as she turned back to her team. "He went from calm to crazy angry, and now he's calm again. I don't blame our princess here for being worried about him... What do you think, Rubes?" Yang ignored the glare from Weiss, turning instead to her younger sister for her opinion.

It was Ruby's turn to examine the Scholar. Honestly, she didn't know what to think; she was 15 years old for crying out loud! Yet, it was her duty as a leader to make an informed judgement call, and at the moment, Hall was the only one who even knew what to look for. More than that, she didn't think that the man meant to hide anything. Of course, he had a lot to answer for once they were back in beacon, but for now, she'd trust him. After all, someone who loved strawberry cookies as much as she did couldn't be bad, right?

"...I think we should trust him." The reaper in red came to her conclusion, nodding firmly as she turned to her team. "If he wanted to do something bad, he would've done already, right? And I don't think he's crazy... just that it was a touchy subject."

"If you say so... But if he tries anything..." Yang left her words hanging, clenching her fist as she let the threat linger in the air. Her position had been clear from the start: Whether she trusted the man or not didn't matter. If he did anything to harm Ruby, she would break him.

Weiss nodded, her grip on Myrtenaster tightening in response, mirroring the blonde brawler's conviction. "For now, I suppose we'll just have to keep an eye on him, and be ready to act if he tries something. Is that acceptable?" The Schnee turned the question to Blake and Ruby, and received two nods in return. All of them had decided to follow the man for now, but were ready to act at the first sign of betrayal.

The huntresses-in-training made their way to the Scholar, and the five headed off to the Ruins.

* * *

A certain Doctor was filled with regret as he lobbed fireballs into the battlefield. His focus turned from grimm to living armour, taking shots of opportunity as he attempted to curb the number of both sides. While the creatures of grimm were obvious antagonists, he had wished for more opportunities to communicate the other side of the conflict. "I only wish we had the time to come to an understanding." In return for his sympathies, the living armours sent a volley of arrows to the man, the gesture ineffectual as Oobleck avoided the attack with ease.

"It can't be helped." Professor Port assured his friend, as he fired shots of his own into the crowd. The first line of Raydrics were burnt asunder, and he watched the students advance deeper into enemy territory. As much as he'd like to assist them, the Nevermore was a far greater threat, and the huntresses-in-training we safer in the ruins than out here. Another burst of fire into the distance, blowing apart Beowolves and Raydrics in with ease, while Ursai were forced back by the volley.

Yet, despite the efforts of both teachers, the grimm never turned their focus away from the living armours, charging the frontlines again and again with renewed vigor.

Glynda focused most of her attention on keeping the students safe, erecting barriers to hinder swordsmen whenever possible. There was plenty of rock for her to use with her semblance, and even the very air was a weapon for her. Animate Archers were destroyed with spears of rock, while a veil of wind swatted errant arrows aside. Gradually, less and less of the living armours were targetting the students, and she could afford to focus on the Nevermore. And the living armour on it.

Which was convenient, as it was this very moment that the Bloody Knight chose to act. A gleam of white light enveloped the massive armour's blade, giving the Nevermore a split second of warning before it slashed downwards, rending into the back of the grimm. A furious screech filled the air, instinct and anger driving its motions as the avian monster twisted in the skies, trying to buck off the armour. Yet, the Bloody Knight held on, its blade buried into the massive grimm's flesh, its free hand gripping the steely feathers as it forced its weapon deeper into the monster.

A telling smoke leaked from its wounds, filling the air as the Nevermore changed directions, pulling its wings into itself as it dove down towards the ground. The beast flew into the forest with reckless fury, branches and trees snapping against the bird and its rider, trying to use the environment to scrape off the metallic pest. The sound of metal and bark echoed through the woods, but the Bloody Knight held on, using its buried blade as a foothold, not willing to let go.

Once again, the Nevermore took to the skies, each sharp turn taxing the Knight's grip, threatening to drop it to the ground below. Before it could drop its passenger, however, it was interrupted by streaks of purple light. The wrath of an angry teacher shot into the sky, suffusing the very air with power as clouds began to formed. The sky grew darker as Glynda's attack took hold, the storm above growing deadly as shards of ice shot downwards.

Both the Bloody Knight and Ancient Nevermore were forced to take the attack head on, with icicles spearing into the grimm and armour. The force of the attack knocked the Knight off, sending it plummeting to the ground below, an angry screech echoing behind its mask as the armour fell. The bird fared no better, with the Bloody Knight's sword still buried in its back, pain filling more of its senses as it was buffeted by ice shards. And the few shards that missed their mark found new targets in the forest below, shooting into Beowolf, Raydric, and Ursa alike.

As quickly as it arrived, the storm dispersed, leaving the battlefield quiet for just a moment. A certain teacher let out a tired sigh, pushing the bridge of her glasses up in a single motion.

* * *

The group of five charged towards the Ruins with little difficulty. Many Raydrics had already been destroyed with feather-spears earlier, and the ones that remained were not expecting the sudden arrival of the students. Those that tried to react were destroyed by the support of the teachers well before they could reach their targets, and the few that survived were punched by an angry Yang. Or thrown aside by Blake's weaponized ribbon. Or completely frozen by Weiss's ice glyphs.

Ruby kept her weapon close as she followed beside the Scholar, the two trailing behind the rest of Team RWBY. The young man was not as adept in close-quarter combat, and this kept him in the rear of the group, making it much easier for the reaper in red to keep an eye on him. Ice bolts and Crescent Rose were more than enough to keep the remaining Raydrics at bay, and the group closed the gap. Within moments, Team RWBY + 1 found themselves inside the ruins, the same small structure where their initiation had concluded a week ago.

And something was different.

"What's that?" Blake was the first to notice something as they entered, a faint glow emanating from the center of the circular structure. Unknown glyphs were carved on the stone floors, glowing with a faint light against the tiles. The group drew closer to the center, hoping to get a closer examination of the curious phenomenon.

"Are these letters?" Ruby recognized the glyphs first, turning to Hall with a questioning gaze; they were the same scribbles that the man had written his notes in. The Scholar nodded in confirmation to the girl's question, trying to decipher the glyphs as he knelt down to the floor. Or, well, read them, since they were in his language. The red leader squatted down beside him, unable to make much sense of them, seeing only scattered letters and word fragments. "... Any idea what it says?"

"They're incomplete. Not sure what it's supposed to say, but..." Hall's focus shifted from glyph to glyph, trying to find some pattern to their construct. It was definitely something deliberate, but there was no indication of who or what wrote it. Each magical scrawl seemed to glow from within the stone, and the light seemed to bleed out from the center of th-... That's when he saw an alarming sight: a small, budding seed.

"Is that..?" A hand reflexively fell to his bag, and the Scholar began searching through its contents. This action drew more confused looks from Team RWBY, but Hall offered no explanation. It took him a full minute before he found what he was looking for, and the man drew from his pouch two more seeds. Unlike the one on the ground, these showed no signs of life, completely devoid of both aura and energy. Yet, that was the only difference, as the seed on the ground looked almost identical to the ones in Hall's hand.

"Okay, what the hell?" The first to speak out was, understandably, Weiss. For the entire trek, she had been the most wary of their Scholar friend's motives, and the heiress had never once been satisfied with his answers. The rest of her team shared her sentiment, and couldn't help but glare at the Hall monitor.

So, the Scholar did the only sensible thing he could do; Hall put the seeds back into his pouch, turned to the seed on the ground, and incinerated it with a bolt of fire.


	28. The Emerald Ruins (6)

**Chapter 28**  
 **The Emerald Ruins (6)**

* * *

As expected, the Scholar's actions only drew more suspicion from Team RWBY. Not even Ruby could justify what went through the young man's head when he decided to incinerate the only lead they had. That budding seed was related to the incident in the Ruins in some way, even if no one could tell how, and the fact that Hall destroyed it instantly was worrying But, perhaps more disconcerting, was the fact that Hall apparently carried more of those same seeds around in his bag. The man owed everyone some answers, both for this little incident as well as his earlier outburst.

And Yang Xiao Long wasn't going to let him worm his way out of an explanation. Her hand immediately fell onto Hall's shoulder, gripping him firmly as she held the man in place. A single, sharp breath was all she needed to make her frustration clear, with her eyes flashing red as her expression demanded answers. "Hall. You have ten seconds to explain What. The. Hell. You just did."

It was as simple as that. Neither Blake nor Weiss attempted to intervene. One was wary, while the other had been outright suspicious the entire journey. And given the Hall monitor's secretive nature, this was the best method to get some answers. Even Ruby could do little but look up at the man with sad eyes.

The red reaper wanted to trust Hall, but she just couldn't. The Raydric's words already painted him in a bad light, and there was the whole Heart of Ymir thing that he refused to explain. Next, he apparently wasn't human, which she didn't think was a big deal; However, he was so angry for having to admit it, which sounded like he didn't trust them at all. And now, once they found something obviously related to the odd happenings at the Ruins, Hall just destroys it. After showing them that he's got those things hidden away in his bag.

"Just... Could you tell us what's going on, Hall?" Ruby pleaded to the man, while the rest of her group stared suspiciously at Hall. "Please?"

For the most part, the Scholar was quiet, trying to figure out exactly what he could tell them. He came to the decision on instinct, which bothered him greatly... It was the first time he recognized instinct at all. Yet, he couldn't call it anything else, as it was more than just reflex, the sensation driving him to the conclusion that the best course of action was to remove the problem. Despite that, Hall could find no reason why it was necessary to destroy the seed first, without bothering to tell anyone _what_ it was in the first place.

So, he might as well start from that. Taking in a deep breath, he turned away from the Ruin's center, his expression neutral as he faced the huntresses-in-training, apparently ready to answer.

"That was a Seed of Yggdrasil. I keep them on hand as emergency healing supplies." He could tell by the confused expressions that he needed more exposition than that. "Yggdrasil is the name of the World Tree, the source of all life in Rune Midgard. The seeds that stem from the tree are inert, but still carry a piece of its power; By consuming a seed, one can recover both mind and body at an exceptional rate. As for reason why a seed was here in the first place...

"I first appeared in this world here." He gestured to the center ruins, and the girls realized that he was referring a specific spot, rather than the ruins as a whole. "When I awoke, I was immediately attacked by one of the boar monsters. I took a charge head on, and that probably knocked a seed loose or something." The Scholar did keep a few key items 'on hand', as it were, where they could be easily accessed with minimal difficulty. Hopefully, he didn't drop anything else important...

"That doesn't explain why you burned it, though." Weiss spoke up, drawing attention to the fact that Hall had ignored the entire question thus far.

"... I burned it because it was dangerous." The Scholar's newly discovered instinct told him that leaving the seed alive would've ended... poorly. "I already told you that my items lost their power when I arrived, right? Even the items of Yggdrasil, the seeds and leaves, lost their power. Yet, that discarded seed, which was supposed to be inert, _somehow_ started sprouting. Rather than dying off, it became active after rotting in these stone ruins for a week. And now, after the thing from my world sprouted, monsters from my world suddenly started to appear. What do you think that means?"

This fact held... unfortunate implications.

* * *

Thankfully, the teachers were blissfully ignorant of these revelations.

Instead, they had to contend with an angry Ancient Nevermore, as well as the rest of the grimm. Neither the teachers' efforts, nor the repeated volleys the Raydric archers were enough to kill the creature, but it had taken heavy damage all the same. Pain echoed from the Nevermore's beak, yet it made no motion to flee as it dove down to the fields below. Within moments, it descended upon a squad of Raydrics, pecking at the cursed armours as it tried to gorge itself on metal.

The rest of the ruins were littered with dying grimm and fading metal, still struggling from the earlier blizzard. However, in spite of the relentless attack, the larger beasts of grimm stood tall, as solitary Ursai lumbered across the battlefield. There were far fewer armours now, barely enough to oppose the remaining grimm, as they no longer crawled out from... wherever they originated. This fact did not escape the teachers' notice, and they could not understand why. Perhaps the decrease in number was due to the defeat of the Bloody Kn-

Another roar echoed from the battlefield, and an Ursa Major exploded into empty smoke. Standing in its place was the Bloody Knight from before, its armour battered and dented from its fall. More blood seemed to seep out of the metal, and the monster took on a martial stance as it turned its attention to another Ursa. The grimm knew no fear, and though it was dwarfed by the Knight, the monstrous bear charged forward all the same.

Deadly claws lashed out, a violent attempt to rend metal from its target, only for their owner to be stopped by single punch. The Ursa was sent flying backwards, tumbling over smaller grimm, and the Bloody Knight charged forward to pursue its target. It took a few moments for the grimm to steady itself, but they were moments it could not afford, as massive armour refused to let its quarry escape. Two powerful gauntlets gripped each of the Ursa's arms, giving the Bloody Knight all the leverage it needed as it threw the bear in one powerful swing, sending it off in an arc.

Ursa met Nevermore, stunning the ancient bird, as the impact interrupted the avian's rampage for a few scant seconds. A screech of fury sounded out, but the surrounding Raydrics ignored the bird's pain; these seconds were what the surviving Raydrics needed. Each armour threw themselves at the bird, frantically gripping steel feathers, trying to bury their blades into the beast to act as a foothold, as they struggled to crawl up onto the Nevermore. Frantic twists and snaps from the grimm threw some of the living armours off, but a constant barrage of grimm projectiles from an angry Knight kept the ancient monster grounded.

And, throughout this confounding display, the teachers could do little but watch with... curiosity. It was one thing to see cursed armours face off against creatures of pure hatred and destruction. It was another thing entirely to watch a single giant armour use grimm as projectiles to knock down larger grimm.

Still, they were professional Huntsmen, and the teachers sprung into action once more. The dwindling numbers meant Peter could finally approach, and the rambunctious teacher wielded his weapon expert form as he dove into the closest group of grimm. The man's first target, an unfortunate Beowolf Alpha, tried to bring its arms up to protect itself; instead, it lost its entire upper torso, as Professor Port eliminated it in one fell swing.

Bartholomew fought alongside his fellow teacher, diving into the group with him, dodging passed claw and fang as he struck out with his weapon. A flash of fire burst forth from his weaponized torch, as a raging fire purged a group of lesser grimm in one fluid motion. His attention turned away from his immediate surroundings as the archiologist focused on the distant Nevermore. With firm resolve, the man gathered the flame of his torch, charging it with his aura before throwing it towards the beast, sending a massive fireball raging through the air. Almost instantly, the conflagration consumed the bird as well as its unwanted riders, as feather and metal burned away into ashes.

The attack didn't stop there, as two more fireballs shot forth from the teacher. Explosions echoed in the night as they collided against Nevermore, each shock rippling through its massive body, leaving it vulnerable for the next attack. One final streak of fire charged through the air, fueled by Oobleck's weapon as a flaming Port collided with the avian grimm's face axe-first, the explosive force more than enough to cave the Nevermore's skull in.

Just as her two colleagues had dealt with the ancient grimm, Glynda Goodwitch had intended to deal with the final threat. The teacher turned her attention to the Bloody Knight, her eyes narrowing as she prepared for the final confrontation. Her weapon began glowing ominously, her aura reaching the air around her as she began tearing apart the nearby earth. The Nevermore's fallen body twitched, well within the teacher's influence even as it gradually faded into smoke. Slowly, smaller clumps of dirt were forced together with larger chunks of rock, fusing into bricks of weaponized murder as Glynda focused on her target.

Feeling the tension in the air, the Bloody Knight prepared itself, its crimson eyes flaring with anger as it brought its fists together. The metallic clang of its gauntlets echoed through the battlefield, as it finally chose a human target for the first time. As it watched the huntress gather energy, the animate armour raised its hand into the air, gathering it's own Spiritual Power as the air began glowing with a familiar red. Glyphs formed in the sky, each of the magical circles pointed at the female opponent, as meteors descended.

Just as suddenly as they appeared, however, they ceased. A growl of confusion echoed from the depths of the armour's mask, trying to find the source of the interruption. The answer revealed itself moments later as the Bloody Knight looked downwards, as the sight of a familiar blade, wreathed in purple light, buried itself into the armour's chest. A spike of rock followed immediately afterwards, hammering the serrated edge through the Knight's breastplate, striking through the other side, as the sound of tearing metal filled the forest.

The knight fell to the ground, a dull quake vibrating outwards as its collapse shook the very forest. Its red eyes, obscured by its ominous mask, flickered erratically for a moment longer, trying desperately to cling to life. Yet, even that light faded into nothing, and just like the smaller armours before it, Bloody Knight's empty body faded.

With that, the battle finally ceased.

* * *

The flight back to beacon was filled with silence.

As soon as the battle was over, Ozpin had ordered the teachers to collect the hall monitor and Team RWBY from the ruins. His orders were strict, and no interrogation was to be held until all parties involved had arrived back at Beacon, ready to talk within his office. As expected, the instructors fulfilled his orders without complaint, leading the students onto the Bullhead without a second thought.

Now, Team RWBY was lost in confusion as they tried to collect their bearings, throwing curious glances between themselves and the Hall monitor. They were first-year huntresses-in-training, and each of them felt out of their depth. After all, they had just _started_ , and none of them expected to have been involved with something this major so early into the school semester. Living armours warring with hordes of grimm? Mysterious magical creation-myth seeds from another world? They just wanted to fight grimm and protect the Kingdoms, for God's sake!

Sure, the Scholar had assured them that the chances of something like this happening again were slim, as he double-checked his item bag. However, given the events of this entire expedition, as well as what _started_ it in the first place, Team RWBY didn't consider the man entirely trustworthy. It also didn't help that the Scholar was currently buried in a book, as though the past few hours hadn't occurred; If he had experienced any sort of stress from the conflict, his face didn't show it.

Finally, the teachers were as quiet as ever, paying no attention to the huntresses-in-training as they looked out into the forest with silence. Glynda busied herself with her Scroll, her attention already on other matters entirely. Port and Oobleck chatted to themselves, mostly trying to puzzle out the origins of the armours as well as the unorthodox combat methods used by the Bloody Knight.

"So... What do we now?" Yang was the first to break the silence in the group. She had spent the past few minutes pacing back and forth, unable to come up with any sort of solution for their situation. "We can't just sit on our hands and hope this never happens again, right?"

"What can we do? This is obviously something far beyond us." The heiress's voice held no energy, letting out a resigned sigh as she sat in one of the seats. Weiss was exhausted, rather than restless. The revelations at the Ruins told them nothing, except that the items the Scholar held were dangerous if left alone. "I'm sure the staff have a plan for him, though. Maybe they'll confiscate his items, have him placed under arrest and under permanent surveillance." She also wasn't convinced that the Scholar wasn't dangerous in his own right.

"No! They can't do that! Hall didn't do anything wrong!" Ruby spoke up in the man's defense. It was no secret that the entire trek had taxed the red leader, from the words of the armours to the unspoken secrets of the Scholar. But, the man had explained a bit of his position, and had promised to tell them more once they returned to Beacon. She didn't think he was lying, and more importantly, Ruby believed that the man was an innocent in all this. After all... "He was dropped into the woods without warning, and then he was attacked by something he had never seen before. He didn't mean to leave that seed of whatever on the ground."

"That doesn't change the fact that it all still happened." Weiss immediately shot back at Ruby's words. However, the heiress had an undercurrent of exhaustion rather than blame, and she brought a hand up to her forehead as she tried to rub her growing headache away. "Whether he meant to or not... it had consequences. What if this had gone unnoticed?"

"Don't forget that he wanted to investigate the ruins on his own in the first place." The last member of Team RWBY spoke up, as the raven-haired girl turned her attention up from her book to face Weiss. "Even if we didn't follow along, he would've noticed the problem and something would've been done about it."

"Unless he was unlucky, and ended up getting killed." The lady in white wasn't convinced. There were far too many ways the night could've gone wrong, and the thought of those armours moving unnoticed was something she didn't want to think about. "Then no one would've known until it was too late."

"At least he tried to do something." Blake stuck to her opinion. Whether it was because of her biases against her teammate, or because she felt the man had earnestly tried to fix the problem, the faunus wasn't swayed by Weiss's arguments.

"He could've tried telling us something instead. He had too many secrets, and refused to answer any of our questi-"

"Ahem."

Before Weiss could continue, she was cut off by a stare from a tired female teacher. Glynda gave each of the huntresses a tired glance, her eyes shifting from person to person until it finally rested on her Scroll.

"... Girls. We understand that this night's events are a matter of grave importance. The Headmaster himself has expressed his concerns, and has requested all of you to be present during Hall's debriefing. As such, I recommend you save your concerns for that meeting. For now, it'd be more beneficial for all of you if you each took the time to rest."

The four young women only nodded at the teacher's suggestion, trying to put their worries on hold. Professor Goodwitch was right. They couldn't really come to a decision on the matter, so they really had no choice but to wait and see what Ozpin planned to do with Hall.

Unable to do anything else, the girls remained silent for the rest of the flight as the Bullhead made its way back to Beacon Academy.


	29. Answers and Questions

**Chapter 29**  
 **Answers and Questions**

* * *

"Well, this certainly is a surprise. I did not expect to see you in my office again so soon, Mr. Hall." Ozpin's tone was pleasant, in stark contrast to the tension that hung in the air. Not a hint of sarcasm was found in his tone, and were it not for the circumstances, a casual observer could take his words at face value. "With that said, I hope this will not become a habit. After all, a man of my position has enough weekly meetings as is."

Granted, Ozpin had few weekly events that were as chaotic as the hall monitor's actions. Last week was certainly a mess, as the young man had decided to intrude on the school's initiation exam. A failure in communication, a misplaced quarrel or two, and more than few new mysteries meant a great deal of stress to the faculty... And to Ozpin in particular. And yet, a week later, those events were preferable to what the Headmaster had on his plate now. Letting out a sigh, the old man took a drink from his mug, before his eyes fell on the rest of the room.

To his left was his most trusted confidant and assistant, Glynda Goodwitch. For all his headaches, Ozpin knew that his female colleague was far more taxed; Glynda rarely showed exhaustion, so her form spoke volumes of her stress. At first glance, Miss Goodwitch stood with all the atmosphere that befitted one of her position, one hand holding her Scroll while rested against the tablet... But Ozpin knew better. Her posture was far too rigid, and the woman's focus was on neither her tablet nor the hall monitor, both of which was uncharacteristic of the blonde teacher.

Beyond Glynda was two others who held a great deal of trust within the old headmaster: Professor Peter Port and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. Capable instructors in their own right, Ozpin valued them for their advice just as much as he did their company, as their cheerful banter was more than enough to ease the daily doldrums of the job. Whether it was Port's stories of his past experiences, or Oobleck's enthusiasms for his latest research, the two men did wonders in making the headmaster's job more enjoyable.

However, there was no cheerful curiosity or merriment from the two, and Ozpin knew full well that they were here today, not as instructors, but as Huntsmen.

His gaze finally turned back to the center of the room, where the hall monitor... No, the Scholar stood. And, lined up at the back of the room, was the four huntresses-in-training who were inexplicably tied to the young man's mystery. All four girls stood at attention, each one focused on the events before them. Caution, worry, curiosity and apprehension were just a few of the emotions that were on Team RWBY's faces, as they waited for Ozpin to give some sort of ... something to the Scholar. Interrogation? Verdict? Judgement? A light slap on the wrist as long as he explained himself?

Who knows? Regardless, the young man would have to explain himself. Ozpin made sure of it. "Now... I'm sure you know why you're here. But, for the benefit of everyone present, let's start from the beginning."

The headmaster set his mug down, his free hand gesturing to air as a massive holo-display lit up above his desk. Everyone present could see the image, video footage of a familiar hall monitor. It started off with his excursion to the library, innocuous in its own right as the Scholar gathered various books on aura, semblance, and dust. The innocence of this action soon faded away as the video skipped ahead from afternoon to evening, where the Scholar took a few items out from his pouch in order to turn theory into practice.

Though it was just a recording, the cameras still caught the telltale glow of aura as it surrounded one of his gemstones, turning the opaque blue crystal into a brilliantly shimmering gem. This process repeated for all sorts of items, from potions to cards to the very books that the Scholar kept in his bag. Even the strange leaves he held precious were eventually washed with aura, before he slipped them back into his bag. Then, without another word, the young man quickly replaced his books with ones on ruins and history.

The surprising part of the footage came when evening turned to night, only to drag on till the wee hours of the morning. Not once did the man show signs of fatigue: not when he poured through book after book, not when he began compiling a detailed list of grimm in the Emerald Forest, and not when he painstakingly drew a map of the aforementioned forest. There was no indication that he was tired, and rather than leave for the night, the Scholar was content to continue his research. The only time he left his spot in the library was when his actions were cut short by his duties, leaving a few leaflets behind as he made his way to help out his assigned teacher.

The next video footage was more animated, as it consisted of more than just Hall sitting around in the library... but it wasn't very useful. All it showed was the Scholar assisting with academic activities, from watching over a mathematics pop quiz, to assisting Port in giving Yang a surprise test for Grimm studies. He followed his namesake as he monitored the halls for truancy, then was sent off by Glynda to run errands. Nothing out of the ordinary, even as the video followed him to the cafeteria, where he had his encounter with Team RWBY. After lunch more class assistance, a few coffee deliveries, and nothing noteworthy until he finally approached Port.

Glynda couldn't help but glare at Peter as the video repeated his lines, the elder huntsman authorizing a supply of dust for the Scholar's foolish expedition under the pretense of an outrageous grimm hunt.

And that was all. Everyone knew what happened after the trip to the supply office, and there was no need for the video to continue. Instead, Ozpin turned his attention back to the Hall monitor, his voice painstakingly neutral as the headmaster finally asked his question.

"Now that we've established your little excursion was no accident... Could you please explain why you found it necessary to conduct it in the first place?"

* * *

The Scholar couldn't help but frown at the question. Wasn't it obvious that he had to investigate it eventually? After all, those ruins was where he first ended up when he arrived at Remnant, and the best way to figure out the reasons behind his sudden world tour was to thoroughly examine the site. He had no other pressing concerns, as his school duties were trivially mundane tasks at best. Why not make use of his free time to come to an understanding? And the best way to come to an understanding would be to prepare for a research expedition.

Though he mentally berated himself for choosing to request assistance from a teacher. What had he been thinking? Requesting dust would be suspicious from anyone, and he was lucky that Port was so blase to the idea of the Scholar visiting the forest. Yet, while approaching Port was a calculated risk, it was also unnecessary; he could've just made do on his own. Like he alwa-... No. That's not right, is it? He was a support Scholar. Why would he think that he acted al-

"Mister Hall?"

Ozpin's voice snapped the Scholar from his thoughts, and the young man looked back at the Headmaster. Those thoughts would be for later; for now, he'd simply answer the question. "Those ruins was where I appeared at when I entered this world. Researching them was a logical first step to understand my current situation."

"You are not incorrect in that regards. However, I had expected you to ease into the routine of academic life first."

"My duties are simple and straightforward. There wasn't much adjustment needed."

"Is that so? Well, that's something to keep in mind..." Ozpin's voice trailed off, and the man gave a hint of a smile as he began plotting who knows what. However, that was for later, and his expression changed once more as he focused on the hall monitor once more. "Still, in regards to your excursion... I am curious as to why you chose to participate in such an undertaking by yourself."

"Because it was my problem." The words came quickly for the Hall monitor. Surprisingly quickly. While it was true that no one else was directly related to Hall's predicament, it wasn't like he shied away from help. After all, didn't he freely accept Ruby's assistance back in the Emerald Forest when she dropped in beside him? That means that he didn't see it that way... There was definitely another reason. He just couldn't really think of one besides... childish impulsiveness?

Ozpin raised an eyebrow in confusion, first at the young man's sudden exclamation, then his facial expression as he internally argued with himself. Still, that wasn't the important part of the discussion. "... Well, your reasons are your own. What's more important is this." With a quick gesture of his hand, the Headmaster changed the holo-display, switching to a more recent footage of a familiar conversation between the hall monitor, a red-hooded reaper, and three living armours.

 _"Give us the puppet, and we'll leave you alone."  
"What do you mean...? ... He's no puppet! He's a person!"_

Even if it was a mere recording, the voice of the Raydric carried the foreboding tone one could expect from cursed armour. At least, it was a foreboding tone to Ruby and Hall; to everyone else in the room, the undecipherable gibberish only sounded threatening and ominous. Ozpin paused the video before the conversation could continue further, his eyes settling on the Scholar as he took a sip from his cup. "Would you care to share your little conversation? I believe there were some... topics that are of interest."

Hall flinched at the question. Again, he was bothered by his reaction, but had enough of his mind settled to ignore it. Instead, his face returned to an impassive mask, and the Scholar's gaze settled on the headmaster's. "... Are you referring to the fact that I'm not human?"

The Scholar couldn't see the reactions of the rest of the room. There was no way for him to see the look of surprise on Yang and Weiss's face, nor the worry what clouded Ruby's; He didn't even have the opportunity of trying to identify Blake's expression, nor attempt to dissect the reactions of Glynda, Port, and Oobleck. The reason for this was because of the confused expression that was visibly plastered on Ozpin's face.

"That... wasn't what I intended to ask at all." He immediately brought a hand up, pushing at the bridge of his glasses as his face changed once more to its usual expression. The headmaster's eyes met the Hall monitor's, then looked beyond him as he spoke up. "Whether you're human or not is irrelevant. I've seen the desire to change in you, and so long as you are willing to help better the world, I care not about your past."

That sentence... didn't quite seem to fit? Yet, Hall was placated by it all the same, his mild irritation disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared.

"No, I was referring to this part of the conversation." At those words, Ozpin made another gesture, and the holo-display continued, the Raydric's words echoing once more.

 _"What of the Valkyrie that visited us? What of the Heart of Ymir?"_

These words were only heard by Ruby and Hall, with the rest of the room hearing more garbled noise. However, the focus was not on the words, but on the expressions of the two Beacon affiliates. Immediately after the Raydric's words, confusion could be seen clearly on Ruby Rose's face, as the girl tried to process words to meaning. However, she was the only one who had this problem.

The Scholar's face showed recognition, and Ozpin wanted to know why. He wasn't the only one, of course.

* * *

"Oh yeah! You promised! What's the Heart of Ymir?"

A certain red reaper immediately spoke out, earning herself a few looks of confusion, surprise, and amusement. Ruby Rose felt the gazes of her teammates on her, each wanting some sort of explanation. She also felt the staff staring at her for her sudden outburst, and the teenager's face immediately flushed red with embarrassment. For just a moment, a sudden pause filled the room, a brief moment of silence that was promptly broken by an awkward cough.

"E-erm... I mean... S-sorry." An awkward cough and a downcast reaper.

Yet, Ozpin was amused by the girl's sudden statement, and quickly went to work dispelling the air. "It's quite alright, Miss Rose. You were present as well, and it sounds like our friend owes you an explanation as well."

"Y-yeah!" The shy teenager was encouraged by Ozpin's words, and turned her attention to the hall monitor. To say he owed her an explanation was putting it lightly, and the girl in red was eager to finally hear his side of the story. Who he is, where he came from, what the Heart of Ymir was and why he always kept... Well... She still wasn't sure if he was willing to talk, and Ruby felt a bit bad for having Hall put on the spot like this. Even though she blurted the question earlier, the leader of Team RWBY felt hesitant in asking it once more. "S...so... What's the Heart of... Ymir?"

Hall's face was... less conflicted than she expected it to be. From how he had dodged the questions earlier, it sounded like the thing of Ymir was a sensitive topic for Hall, so the red teenager would've understood if he didn't want to talk about it. Instead, he simply pondered the question, mulling over his thoughts for a moment before finally speaking out. "The Heart of Ymir was the foundation of Rune Midgard."

... Wat.

Ruby blinked. She didn't really know how else to respond, since that _really_ wasn't the answer she was expecting. The girl looked to the rest of her team for some insight, trying to gauge their reactions. Unfortunately, her sister wasn't too helpful, as Yang only gave a confused shrug in response. Not that she could complain, since she was equally clueless; instead, she turned her focus to the rest of her team.

Blake, on the other hand, was lost in thought. The name was surprising, and there was more than a few ways that 'foundation' could be interpreted. Her instincts were of no use in this little situation, so all she could rely on to come up with an answer was her stories and her... past experiences. With a name like 'Heart of Ymir', there were few things that could properly fit. After composing herself, the girl in black turned her gaze to Hall. "Is the Heart of Ymir a faction or ideology?"

"Nope. I mean it in a more literal sense." And her question was shot down instantly.

"Do you mean like an energy source? Like how dust is the foundation of Remnant?" Weiss was the next to speak up, taking the only other logical path. If it wasn't something symbolic, then it was probably something literal. Of course, the heiress had a little bit of bias when she came to her conclusion, but it had already been established that the hall monitor's world ran on something like aura. It only made sense for there to be other parallels, and she turned her attention to Hall, watching his response.

"Not that either." Of course, nothing about a world-hopping hall monitor made sense, so Weiss wasn't even surprised.

"Oh, I know!" Yang was the next to speak. Mainly because she wanted to throw in a guess of her own, since the rest of her teammates got a chance to talk. With that said, the blonde brawler didn't really have anything insightful to add, at least not in the way her partner and the snow princess did. So, there was only one other thing to suggest... After all, Hall did say a _literal_ sense, right? "Since you're so cryptic about it, this Ymir thing's probably the _heart_ of the question, eh? Amirite?"

There was silence. Why was _that_ the only thing Yang wanted to contribute? It wasn't even her best work, since it was fit in so awkwardly. The rest of her team let out a tired sigh, the girls intent on coming up with an actual answer, befor-

"Yes. That is the case."

That was different. People usually didn't take Yang's puns at face value, mainly because it rarely made sense. Yet, the blonde brawler could see no hint of trickery in the hall monitor's voice as he answered her. "Whoa, seriously?"

"Yes. It is said that the land of Rune-Midgard was built by the gods using the Heart of Ymir." The words were spoken matter-of-factually, and Hall's expression was neutral as he parroted some ancient passage he had probably read in a book somewhere. At least, that's what it sounded like, since the idea of gods building worlds using hearts was pretty outlandish.

There was a moment of silence, as people gave the Hall monitor a curious glance. Did he mean that symbolically or religiously? Why did Ruby mention it, then? Perhaps it was an issue related to the living armours? Still, it didn't really make sense one way or another. After a few seconds, the Headmaster finally decided to speak up. "So... This Heart of Ymir is a creation myth of your world?"

"I assure you, Headmaster... the Heart of Ymir is no myth." The Scholar's expression was no longer neutral this time, as his words rang out ominously into the air.


	30. At the End of the Day

**Chapter 30**  
 **At the End of the Day**

* * *

How much time should he spend explaining this point? The Scholar knew that, for the most part, the Heart of Ymir was merely a curiosity for the people of Beacon. It was irrelevant how Rune-Midgard came to be, since he was no longer there. In fact, the only reason they were even having this discussion was because he remembered something markedly unrelated to the entire Raydric incident.

And the Raydric incident was far more important than anything related to the Heart of Ymir.

"The Heart of Ymir was what formed the world of Rune-Midgard, and while that sounds like an old religion thing, it's still not wrong. She," at that word, Hall gestured to Weiss, nodding at her previous answer, "was not incorrect when she said it was a power source. Airships, guardians... Much of the advanced technologies in my world came about as a result of harnessing fragments of the Heart of Ymir. Yet, for all their use, these pieces were far more than just a simple power source."

"In Rune-Midgard, there exists a handful of nations. One such nation had, as its capital, the Floating City of Juno, which housed a fragment of the Heart of Ymir. This fragment was why the city could float above the land, serving as both a source of prosperity and unexplored knowledge. However, for adventurers who had reached their physical limits, it served another purpose: rebirth and transcendence." The Scholar paused at that statement. For the first time, he was considering the magnitude of his own words, and he couldn't help but feel... alienated by them. After all, those words implied something so far removed from common sense, that the Scholar couldn't help but think back on his own history.

At least, he would have, if his sudden pause didn't draw a subtle cough from a certain curious Headmaster. returned the Scholar to his thoughts.

"Sorry." There was no time for introspection, and Hall put those thoughts to rest for now. "As I was saying... The Heart of Ymir was used for more than just power. However, while adventurers could make use of the Heart to... Transcend, most others couldn't. So, naturally, a company of considerable power took it upon themselves to change this." Hall took in a soft breath, as he muttered another name. One more pile of useless letters that have no place in Remnant. "The Rekenber Corporation was this company, and the city of Lighthalzen was where their research took place."

That's when the Scholar turned his attention back to his audience. He could see that, for all their efforts, Team RWBY had varying degrees of comprehension. The women in white and black seemed to understand parts of his explanation, while the ones in red and yellow had an odd look of confusion. Especially Ruby. So it was no surprise when the girl decided to voice her questions.

"Wait, what do you mean... transcend? Like, as a figure of speech? The martial artist-y thing of meditation and understanding?" Fictional parallels were the best that Ruby could draw, but it served to underline her confusion all the same. And judging by the way the rest of Team RWBY nodded at the question, they had no better ideas.

"No, I mean it literally. Rebirth of body and mind. But that's not important." Hall, for the most part, waved it off. "What is important is that people tried to use the Heart of Ymir induce transcendence artificially. This, of course, meant human experimentation."

His gaze turned back tot he rest of the room once more. This time, the expressions of each person matched what the Scholar expected, from the mortified looks of Team RWBY to the solemn downcast acceptance of the older teachers. Even if they didn't know what the Heart of Ymir _was_ , the idea of human experimentation set off alarm bells in everyone's minds. And if this Heart was something as important as Hall made it out to be... Who could imagine the ramifications? Only the headmaster maintained his expression, implacably neutral as he took a single sip from his mug.

"It was because of this knowledge that I reacted to the Raydric's words. Nothing more."

"Now, onto the other issue." The Scholar's voice was so steady as he swept the previous topic aside. Granted, the headmaster seemed content to let him direct the conversation, but Hall tried not to think about that. Instead, the Scholar's hand slipped into his bag, quickly searching around before pulling out the next item of discussion: a small seed. "The Seed of Yggdrasil. As you can see, the one I have is dormant. However, it seems that I dropped one such seed in the Ruins last week and, unlike this one, it germinated."

As if on cue, Ozpin adjusted his terminal, changing the holo-display to a camera within the Ruins. This one showed the Scholar with Team RWBY, finally entering the ancient structure as they set about neutralizing the Raydric defenders. Rather than focus on the fight, however, the camera remained fixed at the center of the room, completely focused on a single faint glow. There was a soft tap as the Headmaster pressed a button, and the camera zoomed in, clearly identifying the strange light as a small, budding seed.

A seed that matched the Scholar's 'Seed of Yggdrasil'.

"As I've explained to Team RWBY before, Yggdrasil is the name of the World Tree of my world." The Scholar's tone was firm and professional, as though he were giving a presentation. "However, even in my world, these seeds were always dormant, serving as herbs for recovery; Not once have I seen the seeds germinate. Yet, here it was, glowing and growing in the ruins of the Emerald Forest. Coupled with the appearance and infestation of monsters from my world, I believed the two were related. As such, I felt that, rather than change your world irreparably, it was more prudent to destroy the item in question.

"Though I still don't know _how_ it caused those monsters to appear."

* * *

Barely anyone was in the cafeteria.

Dinner had long since passed for the majority of Beacon, and rather than loiter around in a public mess hall, most of the students had opted to return to their dorms. Likewise, a few of the cooking staff had retired for the night, with only a minimal amount of workers still in the cafeteria. As such, it was surprising to see that there was still an entire huntress-in-training team that had not yet eaten. Not a straggler or two, but the entire team.

Team RWBY was mostly silent as they ordered their meals, their thoughts elsewhere as they watched the kitchen staff prepare fresh meals. No one was quite sure what to make of the meeting at the Headmaster's office, and rather than attempt to puzzle it out, the four huntresses watched their meals in silence. Well, three of them, at any rate. A certain red leader had managed to convince the Hall monitor to part with some of his books. Either way, it wasn't until the girls had found themselves a spot at the cafeteria tables that one of them finally spoke out.

"... Well. That was a thing." Yang began poking at her chicken, her voice low as she tried to process the previous events. Just as the hall monitor had promised, he had answered everyone's questions about his little forest excursion. He also answered a few more queries about his powers, which amounted to 'magic but not'. Finally, as a gesture of good will, he had lent out his giant encyclopedia to the leader of Team RWBY. With all that said and done, the blonde brawler was a bit... underwhelmed. "Who knew that the guy had so little to tell us? Anything good in that book, Rubes?"

For her part, Ruby had already settled down, a plate of cookies by her side as she laid the book out on the table. Honestly, the little leader didn't know what she was looking for, since an encyclopedia wasn't the _best_ way to find out information. Still, it was a chance to learn about his world, and it had nice pictures, so Ruby wasn't too discouraged. "Mmm... Sorta? It just a list of stuff... But it's all organized neatly, at least." The girl flipped to the section on monsters, curiosity taking her as she began looking for an entry on Raydrics. After all, they're from his world, right? Surely they'd be in the encyclopedia.

Just like her leader, Blake Belladonna had an interest in the strange book. The young woman had sat herself down beside Ruby, her own meal consisting of mainly of grilled fish as her amber eyes turned to the giant book. Who knows what sort of-...

"...That's not fair." The girl in black couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh as her amber eyes fell on the pages. To her dismay, the letters were nothing more than gibberish, and she had absolutely no idea what anything meant. Instead, the only useful information she could glean from the tome were the pictures, which cause no small amount of embarrassment for an avid reader like Blake. However, as she watched Ruby turn another page, the faunus' despair turned to curiosity as she shifted her gaze to her red leader. "Hey Ruby? How can you read this?"

"Hmrh?" Ruby was mid-cookie when Blake asked her question, so it took a few seconds before the red reaper could respond. However, a glass of milk later, she turned back to her sister's partner, a chipper tone in her voice. "Now that you mention it... I dunno. After I looked at the little translation napkin Hall made, something clicked. Kind of like how he figured out how to speak with us, I guess? Wanna see it?" And with that, Ruby began rifling through her bag, trying to fish out the crinkled bit of paper.

Sitting across from the two was Weiss and Yang, and the heiress was far too exhausted to share her partner's enthusiasm. This same exhaustion was what caused her to order the same meal as the blonde brawler, a mistake that Weiss swore not to repeat. Normally, she'd enjoy chicken, but the fact that she was to eat an entire roast bird did little for her temperament. Still, she was hungry, so the heiress made a show of cutting off a single piece of chicken with her knife, as she turned her attention to her team. "I, for one, am just glad this entire event is over. The Hall monitor's assurances that this won't happen again are much more believable now that the staff have promised to reign him in."

"Aww, come on Weissy. You can't say that tonight wasn't a _Hall_ lot of fun, right?" Yang ignored the tired groans from the rest of her team, giving out a playful giggle as she grinned at the group. "Better than staying cooped up inside doing homework, at least. I've had enough writing assignments for one day." Honestly, paperwork during her grimm studies? Yang was still annoyed at that, and that had happened this _morning_. Not even the act of fighting freaky ghost armours and super-grimm were enough to make her forget about that.

"... You do realize we still have a written assignment due in two days, right?"

"Ack! Really?!" However, it seemed that ghosts and grimm were enough to make the blonde brawler forget about homework. But really, who could blame her? "H-hey, Weissy, you think you could help a teammate out?" To her credit, Yang's composure barely faltered, as the transition between a confident grin and a sheepish grin was barely noticeable for someone with her personality.

Which just drew another sigh from the lady of white, as she began shaking her head in resignation. "Your marks will affect the rest of the team if you do too poorly, so I suppose I don't have a choice..."

"Ooh, I know! Why don't you get Hall to help you study? He's really good at it!" Ruby chose this moment to chirp up, her attention no longer on the encyclopedia as she began nibbling another cookie. "He made those fancy grimm notes and everything, and he already agreed to help me with studying too. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you tagged along."

"That's a great idea, Rubes. Any idea when he's free?"

"Erm... Now that you mention it... Not really. We'll just ask him the next time we see him!" And with that, Ruby gave a final nod, turning her attention back to her plate of- "Hey! Weeeiiiss, why'd you take away my cookies?" Unfortunately for the little girl, her plate of sweets had been confiscated by her partner. Rather than explain, the heiress pushed forward a plate of food, one of the many extras that Yang had decided to order. A single glare from the ice princess told Ruby that there would be no arguing.

Blake chose this moment to look up from the encyclopedia, one hand still gripping the Rosetta Napkin, the only tool that allowed her to read this fascinating book. "To be fair, you already had a fair amount of cookies today. You should cut back, and have something more suitable."

"But you eat fish all the time, and no one complains about that!" A truly childish argument from the little red reaper, and one that elected a faint smirk from the rest of her team.

"That's because fish is healthy. Cookies most certainly are not." At those words, Blake tilted her head to Ruby's sister, earning her an approving nod, and securing the majority vote. It was now an official team motion: Ruby shouldn't have any more cookies for the rest of the day. The girl in black ignored any other complaints that her leader might've had, as she turned back to the encyclopedia, her attention shifting to pictures of an island city named Amatsu.

"Fiiiine." Ruby's pout all but told her teammate that things were definitely not fine, but she didn't really have a choice on the matter.

* * *

Unfortunately, the antics of the people of Beacon were not the only things that had occurred that night.

Thankfully, the conflict that had taken place in the Emerald Forest was well out of sight for the denizens of Vale, and no law-abiding citizen was any the wiser of what had transpired. To most people, a fiery rain of magical meteors would've been the strongest sign that something significant had transpired; the fact that the woods still hid this sight from the rest of Vale was a testament to how expansive the Emerald Forest truly was.

But the fact that the people of Vale remained ignorant meant nothing to the observers who were not even in the city. The footprint of the battle was still felt by many, and whether it was the brilliant display of flame, the sudden storm of ice, or the harrowing cries of grimm, the battle at the Emerald Ruins was hardly kept secret.

In one hidden camp, a particular group of masked faunus heard the telltale screech of the now-dead Nevermore.

In the sky above the eastern sea, a certain Atlesian Bullhead witnessed the forest's flash of orange.

And, at the northern-most tip of the continent of Vale, slumbering in the grave of ancient tower, was a presence that felt the faintest hint of _something_ it had not felt in a long long time. The presence stirred, and while it did not wake, this alone was enough to draw the attention nearby grimm. After all, the grimm were drawn by negative emotions, and none of the blackened monsters could resist the hint of this long-forgotten despair.


	31. A Learning Experience (1)

**Chapter 31**  
 **A Learning Experience (1)**

* * *

 _ **THWAP.**_

"You understand that you have no excuse for this, right?"

"Oww..."

A little girl in red clutched her forehead in exaggerated pain as her partner made use of a hardcover. It was a familiar sight for the girls of Team RWBY, and without missing a beat, Weiss Schnee let out a tired sigh. The object of her ire was Ruby's portion of an assignment for Professor Oobleck's class. As usual, it held multiple factual errors, a few spelling errors and even a couple of logic error. How that last one worked was beyond the heiress's comprehension, since it was _history_ homework, but Weiss wasn't even surprised by that fact. Instead, she shot a glare to her leader, shaking her head in dismay.

"Honestly, I can't even begin to fathom how you could've made this many mistakes. Wasn't the whole point of seeking help to fix them? This is even worse than the last paper you had tried to hand in."

"But Weiiiss..." Ruby's voice was as childish as ever, letting out a dejected whine as she pouted at her partner. "Hall didn't go over that stuff yet, so I ended up guessing..." It wasn't her fault that the hall monitor hadn't gone over history yet... Though he was already helping her study for other courses, so she couldn't blame him.

"You _what?_ " This was going to be harder than she thought. Weiss brought a hand up to her forehead, trying to will her headache away as she turned to her blonde teammate, barely able to restrain her irritation as she spoke to Yang. "... Could you please explain to your sister why asking a _part time chef_ , who has never lived on Remnant in the first place, would be the worst choice for a history tutor?"

"Sure thing!" Yang's cheerful tone and playful smirk gave the heiress a foreboding sense of regret, which was worrying. How could her teammate screw up a simple explanation like that? And yet, her worries were immediately vindicated when the blonde brawler spoke out. "You see Rubes, Hall can't really _cook_ up anything for your homework, since _his story_ all comes from that Rune Midgard place."

"...Thanks Yang." Even Ruby face-palmed at her sister's choice of words. Honestly, that little sentence hurt far more than Weiss's scoldings, and her partner used a book for God's sake. Still, they both had a point, and she was mature enough to acknowledge it. "But you're right. Sorry Weiss... I'll ask you for help the next time I need it."

"Honestly, you should be doing that _before_ asking others for help. We're a team, remember?"

"I know, but I didn't want to bother you with every little thing, since... err..." The red reaper cut off her train of thought, knowing full well that finishing her sentence would've earned her another book-to-the-face. "Since Hall's a Scholar and stuff! So he'd be really good at learning history, right?" Judging by her partner's look of skepticism, Ruby knew she didn't fall for her ruse. Thankfully, the little leader didn't need to come up with another excuse, as her final teammate took this chance to bring up a very important point.

"We should probably prepare for our next class." Blake, for the most part, had been ignoring the little discussion of Ruby's assignments in favour of reading this encyclopedia. Yet, as much as she would've liked to learn more about the locales of Rune Midgard—The beach dungeon of Comodo was definitely intriguing—she was still the first to notice the time. "Our free period's almost over, and we've got Doctor Oobleck's class next."

"Eep! Oh no!" Ruby's voice rang out in alarm twice, once for the fact that they might be late, and once for the fact that her assignment would probably be graded poorly. The red leader turned her attention to her scroll, checking to confirm that, in fact, she had no chance of changing her homework. "Aaauugh..."

"Are you quite finished?" Her annoyed tone spoke volumes of Weiss's dwindling patience, as she fixed her gaze on the little red reaper. But, in spite of herself, the heiress could feel the irritation dwindling away, as her leader looked more and more like a kicked puppy. "...If you're done making noises, I'll show you where you went wrong. We still have enough time to fix the smaller things."

Ruby's mood immediately brightened, her silver eyes glimmering with hope at the surprising words of encouragement that came from her partner. Without missing a beat, she threw herself at Weiss, her semblance-fueled hug brimming with her signature enthusiasm. "Yay! Thanks Weiss!"

And surprising no one, the Heiress did not appreciate this.

* * *

 _"GET OFF OF ME YOU DOLT!"  
_  
The faint screech could be heard from Bartholomew's office, and both he and his assistant paused, unsure of how to react to the sound. After a brief period of silence, however, the two scholars shrugged it off as students being students, and turned their attention back to the task at hand.

At least, Doctor Oobleck did. With his signature speaking style, he began firing off another jumble of words. "I trust that you have finished your review of the Great War? We will be going over the first parts of it in this week's lecture, and if you are to continue your duties as a teaching assistant, you too need a rudimentary understanding of this world's history."

"... I thought I was just supposed to be a Hall monitor?" The Scholar sighed as he looked up from his pile of books. He was already having issues with his new assignment in the cafeteria, and a few of the other teachers increased his workload further. Granted, topics such as sciences, mathematics, and literature weren't the _worst_ for the academically inclined Scholar, but they expected him to learn metallurgy and engineering, too? He was no Blacksmith. Or Mechanic, since they had the fancy mechanized Madogears.

"Yes, well, need I remind you of your little stunt earlier this month? The headmaster found it prudent to assign more duties to you, lest you find your way into trouble again. Other teachers agreed, which is why you've been formally assigned the task of acting as a teaching assistant as well." A quick sip from his thermos was the only break in Oobleck's speech. "A decision that I don't disagree with, considering the magnitude of your actions. Thus, it is our responsibility to see that you live up to it."

"But don't teaching assistants normally assist in _one_ class?" Hall felt that little tidbit of information was common knowledge, even if he had no idea where he got his common knowledge from. "I've been given textbooks in nearly every subject."

"You forget that you're to be assisting with lectures that include the higher years eventually, so an understanding of the fundamentals is required. And if I recall, you were receptive to the idea initially, even when you were informed of the requirements." Doctor Oobleck arched an eyebrow at the young man's unexpected resistance. "But if you do have any complaints, I understand that you are to settle them with Glynda."

Welp, might as well accept his new lot in life, then. The Scholar wasn't too enthused about the prospect of negotiating with Miss Goodwitch, and his superior wasn't wrong when he said that the young man accepted the job a few weeks back. Even if it was just because it meant no formal charges for... What was it? Criminal negligence, public endangerment, and ... necromancy? Hall was sure that last one was a joke, but between learning new things and being arrested, there wasn't really any contest.

"But again, I must ask, have you sufficiently reviewed the first portion of the Great War? We will be discussing the earlier campaigns, as well as the events leading up to them, throughout this week, so familiarity is necessary." By now, Oobleck had finished looking at his eighteenth page of notes, mentally reviewing the material for the third time. Gripping them in one hand, the teacher made his way to the coffee machine, picking up two other books on the way.

"Yes, I have." The Scholar's response was resigned, as his attention shifted to the sheer amount of information in Oobleck's hands. That was a lot of notes, but it was a fact that many more stacks of papers remained on the teacher's desk. With all that material was for a single class, Hall felt a little bad for his earlier complaints, and found himself pitying the students more and more.  
With that thought in mind, he followed the instructor out of his office, the two men making their way to the classroom.

* * *

It was five minutes till the start of class. Team RWBY was honestly surprised that they had made it on time.

Between Weiss's corrections and Ruby's inability to absorb them, the group had spent far too much effort on just three questions. And while Ruby was content on changing her potential assignment mark from a D to a C+, no one else in her team shared the girl's enthusiasm. The fact that the red leader had her semblance, while the rest of her team had to sprint the old fashioned way, only added to their ire.

"Hey... Sis?" Yang panted between breaths as she took her seat. The blonde brawler almost collapsed onto the desk, holding back an annoyed groan. She wasn't out of shape by any means, but the fact that they had to move faster than their history professor left a sour spot on Yang's mind.

"Yeah, Yang?"

"The next time you need help with your homework... Could you try not to ask half an hour before it's due?" She should've known better, of course. Her little sister was a prodigy in some areas, but Yang knew that she had a tendency to put things off till the last minute. Granted, it probably didn't help that Ruby skipped two years, but still...

"I don't think that... you have room to complain." Weiss huffed as she sat down beside the two sisters, glaring at the blonde as irritation and exhaustion peppered her face. Ruby wasn't the only reason they were late, as her sister decided to take advantage of the heiress's impromptu marking session. There was also the fact that her subsequent puns probably murdered some brain cells, but Weiss tried not to think about that. "Your answers were even worse than Ruby's, and she at least had the excuse of choosing the wrong tutor. What's yours?"

"Heh heh. Erm..." By sheer coincidence, Yang suddenly found a particular spot on the blank wall extremely interesting. It wasn't due to the fact that she made the exact same mistake as Ruby, nope no siree! Nor was it due to the fact that she didn't even pay attention in this completely hypothetical tutor session, either! As she heard Weiss's metaphorical blood veins pop, the blonde beauty turned back to her teammate, flashing a nervous smile. "... I winged it?"

There was a loud thunk, drawing the attention of the entire room to a certain heiress who had decided to introduce her head to the table. It was _far_ too early for this.

"Ahem. Now that the students are done settling in... Mr. Hall, please retrieve their assignments. Students: Pass your papers to your left, so that we may collect them expediently. Now, today's lecture will start with the Treaty of Mantle..." Doctor Oobleck quickly took on a professional tone, signifying that class was in full swing. The students didn't even have time to groan in dissatisfaction as the green-haired instructor began scribbling on the board.

For the most part, the lecture was ... a lecture. A few bits of information on the state of Mantle before the Great War, various Faunus rights groups and counter-groups, something about a corporate maniac seeking power in the ruins of an ancient paper mill... Nothing too out of the ordinary, really. If it wasn't for the fact that Oobleck's pace covered an entire chapter in the span of five minutes, the class might've even been enjoyable. Unfortunately, Oobleck was Oobleck, and this meant that only a few people in the room could really follow him.

A small subset of students watched with rapt attention, eyes focusing on the instructor as he blurred around the room, while everyone else began searching through their Scrolls in hopes of finding the class's syllabus. Unless they were the ones who chose to sleep. One student had the bright idea of trying to record the lecture, only to give an incredulous groan when his Scroll gave up on the task by burning its own battery away. On the whole, however, it was relatively uneventful.

In fact, the first interesting thing of note came immediately after the lecture had finished, when Doctor Oobleck finally took the time to read the assignments. With his pace, the teacher had mentally marked the assignments before his students could leave the room, so it was no surprise that he had called out a few names mere moments after his blurb on corporate paper rites.

"Before you all leave for your next classes, I'd like a word with Cardin Winchester, Jaune Arc, Ruby Rose, and Yang Xiao Long."

A collective groan came from the four students, as the huntsmen- and huntresses-in-training made their way down to the front. Well, Jaune somehow caught his foot on the stairs, completely due to his own fault and not the fact that Cardin pushed him. That's obviously what happened, since otherwise the instructor would call him out on it, right? Either way, the four students soon found themselves standing in front of Doctor Oobleck, his judging eyes gazing down on them.

There was a moment of silence, as the man took a single sip from his thermos.

"It has come to my attention that you four are not taking the material in this class seriously." For some reason, his eyes fell on Ruby and Yang. "While I will not stop in stressing the importance of history, it is clear that words alone are not enough. Now, if it was just one or two of you having problems in my class, I would simply contact you individually. However, the fact that four of you performed so... surprisingly in this assignment prompts me to action before it grows into a bigger problem. As a result, I am assigning the four of you additional tutorial sessions under my assistant here."

The two members of Team RWBY objected loudly the moment Oobleck gestured to Hall.

"Wait, why Hall?"  
"Hey! That's not fair! He's the reason we're in this mess!"

Sure, Ruby didn't exactly place any blame, but the fact that her tone matched her sister's meant they were both a bit upset that they were assigned the man who taught them poorly in the first place. This did not go unnoticed by Doctor Oobleck, and his eyebrow rose up in confusion.

"Is something the matter Miss Rose? Miss Xiao Long?"

"You bet there is!" Yang quickly responded, as she pointed an accusing finger at the Hall Monitor. "He's the one who tutored us in the first place, and the reason why our assignments were wrong." Three of the four males turned their gaze to the remaining one, only to receive a shrug from the Hall monitor.

"... I explicitly told you that I could only tutor you on the rise of the Valean Council. For the rest, I suggested to both of you that you ask your teammates." For what it was worth, the Hall monitor did not back down from Yang's finger of doom. After all, he'd already been knocked out by her. What else could happen? Instead, the young man was more interested in how the two male students could've performed if they were called down alongside the two sisters. The two sisters that he... wait a minute.

"And that tutor session was a _week_ ago."

" **What?!** " An angry Heiress shouted out from the back of the room. Weiss was most definitely not pleased.


	32. A Learning Experience (2)

**Chapter 32**  
 **A Learning Experience (2)**

* * *

"So let me get this straight. Not only were you two wrong about _what_ he taught you, you were wrong about _how much_ he taught you?" Was her eye twitching? Weiss could've sworn her eye was twitching, as the heiress tried to calm herself down. She shouldn't have been surprised, since this level of negligence was something she had come to expect from her partner. She barely even paid attention to the fact that the elder of the two sisters exhibited the exact same flaw. "And you didn't mention that it had been a week since he tutored you, either?"

For their part, the two sisters could only keep a nervous smile on their faces, hands warily held up as they watched their teammate's mood sour with every passing second. Yang turned to Ruby, only to see her little sister's silver eyes meeting her gaze in return. Obviously, neither of them had any idea of how to respond. Was there some way they could salvage this? A silent conversation took place, and the two huntresses-in-training tried to find _something_.

Ruby turned her hopes to the front of the lecture hall, only to see that Doctor Oobleck had already left the classroom long ago. Her tutor, and definitely not the person who had gotten her into this mess, was currently talking to Jaune and Cardin about something history-related, and the three males seemed to go out of their way to completely ignore her plight. Surely, there was something else?

Yang, on the other hand, sent a pleading look to Blake, only to find that she had buried herself in a book. The girl in black seemed to pay little attention to the rest of her group's antics, and had no qualms about abandoning her partner for the chance to catch up on more reading. Yang would've commented on it, but the blonde brawler was sure that _any_ sound from her would've been noticed by Weiss. Instead, she frantically began searching the rest of the room.

Of course, nothing in the room could help, and the lilac and silver eyes of the two siblings soon found themselves fixed with the steely gaze of the heiress.

"And just what do you two think you're doing?" It should come as no surprise that the heiress was watching her teammates' actions, and she had held back the urge to freeze something the moment their eyes met once more. "Do you two even understand the position you're both in? You're on the same level as _that_ dolt!" There was no small amount of disdain as Weiss pointed to one of the male students, a certain blue-eyed moron that had bothered her to no end. "That's how bad it is!"

"Hey!" Jaune couldn't stay silent as the angry snow angel made a gesture to him. However, the glare that Weiss shot him immediately cut off whatever he was going to say, and the young man fumbled a bit through his next words. "I-I'm not that bad, am I?" He wasn't asking anyone in particular, but the blonde swordsman still glanced around the room, trying to find support from someone.

A certain teaching assistant resisted the urge to hold up Arc's latest grade, while a little red leader couldn't bring it in herself to meet the swordsman's gaze. Weiss's expression was... as expected, really, and neither Blake nor Yang paid any attention to his question. Jaune didn't doubt that his team would've backed him up, but since he told them to go on ahead, there was only one person who bothered to give the blonde swordsman an honest look.

And Cardin was honestly a jerk as he sneered at the blonde teen.

Needless to say, the swordsman was dejected, his shoulders slumping forward. "Okay, I get it..." But, to his credit, he resolved himself, turning his attention to the Hall monitor. "S-so what do we need to do?"

Weiss mostly ignored Jaune's little dilemma, as she had two of her own problems to deal with. Her eyes fell back on back to the two sisters, her voice strained as she started lecturing them once more. " _Now_ do you see what I mean? And to think that you two need tutorial sessions this early in the term... Ugh..." Rather than any real anger, the heiress's tone was filled with resignation, as the huntress-in-training shook her head. "Just... Just get the tutorial times from Hall. We still have another class after this."

And with that, Weiss left the room, with Blake following close behind.

There was a brief pause, as the little red reaper blinked for a few moments. "Hey Yang?"

"Yeah, sis?"

"What's our next class?" Ruby wasn't too sure why she had asked it, considering they were supposed to be talking with Hall, but... her partner's words nagged at her. "And when is it?"

"Well..." The blonde beauty took out her Scroll, checking their schedule for just a moment, before turning her attention to the time. "According to this, we've got combat classes with Goodwitch next... and it started five minutes ago."

"Is... Weiss going to blame us again?"

"Nah, just you." And with that, Yang quickly made her way to the front of the room, swiping one of the practice sheets that Hall was handing out, before sprinting out of the room.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Ruby followed her sister, completely forgetting about the practice sheets as she disappeared in a puff of petals.

After the sudden exit of the remaining members of Team RWBY, the lecture hall was finally silent, as three young men stood at the front of the room. Even now, they couldn't help but wonder exactly how those rose petals worked, or why they'd suddenly disappear the moment people took their eyes off of them.

"... You two don't need to worry about being late." Hall was the first to speak, turning his attention to the two huntsmen-in-training before him. "At least, not if you're in Goodwitch's class, since I'm also an assistant for her."

"Wow, teacher's pet much?" Cardin mumbled the words, but it was obvious he had intended them to be heard, as the brown-haired teen fixed his gaze on Hall for a moment, before turning to Jaune. "Whatever. Arc here needs all the help he can get. Isn't that right, Jauney boy?" The larger teen gave an encouraging pat to the smaller one, his hand a little too firm as he smacked the blonde's back, almost pushing the kid down onto the desk.

The Scholar raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing as his gaze turned to Jaune.

"E-er... Uh... Yeah!" The blonde swordsman barely reacted fast enough, his hands pressed against the table as he saved himself from a sudden headdesk. Rather than dwell on the sudden faceplant Cardin almost gave him, Jaune hurried the topic along, his gaze turning to the hall monitor. "A-anyways, what do we need to.. uh.. do? Mister H-Hall?"

Was the swordsman always this nervous? Admittedly, the Scholar hadn't interacted much with students besides Team RWBY, since he never really saw the need to. Which was odd, because he was fairly certain that the huntsman team this Jaune belonged to often accompanied Team RWBY. Not that it really mattered, and Hall gave a shrug as he pushed that thought away. "Normally, I'd ask two you how much you knew about this class, but since I'm already marking your assignments... Just take those practice sheets and head to your next class. I'll contact you two later."

Cardin picked up one of the worksheets with a disinterested look in his eye, ignoring the enthusiasm of the blonde beside him. As much as he'd like to blow this off, these tutorial sessions were an easy out. So, rather than complain about it, the student stuffed the paper into his bag, before turning around to leave the room. Of course, the zipper on his bag was a bit stuck for some reason, so it wasn't his fault that he knocked over Jaune's books, trying to close the pocket on his way out. Nope.

Jaune groaned again, looking at his scattered papers with a resigned sigh as he began picking up the sheets.

* * *

"Mr. Hall. I hope you have a legitimate reason for being late." Glynda's voice was stern as she spoke out, pausing her lecture as she drew attention to the Scholar who had finally arrived. "I believe I informed you that your duties required you to be punctual."

"Sorry." Apologize first. Hall learned early on that an annoyed Glynda is not good for his health. Or anyone's health, really. "Doctor Oobleck asked tasked me with scheduling a tutorial session for four students." Next, be professional. Sure, Port and Oobleck didn't care, but Glynda Goodwitch was very different. "Additionally, because of that, I'd like to ask you to excuse Miss Xiao Long, Miss Rose, Mr. Winchester, and Mr. Arc for their tardiness." And finally, when making requests, be reasonable and concise.

The Scholar silently thanked the headmaster for his 'Dealing with Glynda' cheatsheet.

"... Very well. I shall confirm with Bart later. For now, please prepare your semblance."

And with that, the lecture was on. For the most part, the Scholar acted as a sentient turret, using the blasts of magic as mock projectiles while Glynda demonstrated the various ways to counter or avoid them. Ordinarily, this sort of feature would be handled by arena equipment, or some sort of training weapon, but the female instructor thought it would be more beneficial if they didn't waste energy or supplies.

It also gave Hall a chance to practice his Soul Strike spell. While the skill may sound ominous, the transition from Midgard to Remnant was not kind, and the spell was nothing more than a few flashy aura bolts; solid enough to be spotted with the naked eye, and harmless enough to pepper students without much damage. As a result, the Scholar had been tasked with testing select student as they attempted to put Glynda's teachings to practice.

He found it ironic that his job was now to actively attack students with spells, despite the fact that endangerment of students was the reason he was penalized in the first place.

Students like Jaune Arc, who had the unfortunate luck of being called up next.

To say that Hall was familiar with Jaune would be a gross overstatement. He was familiar with the young man, since he was one of his opponents during the initiation incident early this month. And due to his duties as a teaching assistant, the Hall monitor had observed the Arc's performance in all sorts of classes, from history to grimm studies to... this one. Yet, he couldn't say he knew Jaune.

At least, not enough to know why Glynda picked the blonde swordsman for demonstrations so often.

With that said, today's assignment actually made sense, so that was less of an issue. The Scholar noticed early on that the Arc was exceedingly durable, and despite his shortcomings in a few areas, the young man was still decidedly competent. Sure, his reflexes could use a lot of work, and his combat ability was sub-par, but he had a mind for tactical decision-making. And since today's lesson involved defense practice, it made perfect sense for Hall to throw little harmless balls of aura at the blonde swordsman before him.

So that's exactly what he did.

Granted, the blonde leader's movements were not graceful, but they were still functional. His shield stance was solid, and the young man was able to deflect most of the Soul Strike bolts with little difficulty. There were a few times where his reaction speed wasn't quite fast enough, but even then, the Arc could take those hits. Of course, this was partially due to the fact that those balls of aura weren't powerful, but most of this resilience could be attributed to Jaune himself. The boy had an obscene amount of aura, which served as a very generous buffer, allowing him to push on with his fighting style, even when most others would've changed their tactics.

... Actually, putting it that way, wasn't that little pile of aura a detriment?

It seems that Hall wasn't the only one who had these thoughts; before he could finish the fourth salvo of aura bolts, Glynda Goodwitch interrupted the demonstration, her eyes falling on the Scholar.

"Mr. Hall. I believe a higher degree of difficulty is needed to sufficiently test Mr. Arc's skill."

The female teacher turned her attention to the Hall monitor, giving him a single nod. Interruptions such as were not uncommon; Sometimes, there were students who had already grasped the basic instructional exercises that the teacher demonstrated, and rather than sit them back down, Glynda chose to test them further.

Other times, these students were Jaune.

And though adjustments had to be made to accommodate a changed demonstration, the Scholar had to comply. Sure, it was taxing whenever the lessons were offensive-based, but he had to admit, Hall found it more enjoyable when he simply had to toy with the students. Which was probably not a good thing, but he didn't really care too much about that.

"Wait what?"

Jaune himself let out a confused cry, earning himself a few muted chuckles from the rest of the class. However, there was nothing funny about this situation, and the blonde swordsman wore an anxious expression as he watched the female instructor nod to her assistant. The Arc immediately noticed the hall monitor changing his stance, no longer content with firing ineffectual aura bolts.

Instead, a shockwave of ice shot forward, icicles forming instantly on tiled floor as the frigid attack slid along the arena ground. There was the sound of ice shattering the air, and the unfortunate target froze moments later.

Still, Jaune's aura had managed to save, flaring up to break away some of the ice, giving him enough room to wrench the rest of his body away, just in time to dodge another bloom of frost. A third began tearing through the air, but this time, the young swordsman was prepared. The blonde began darting back and forth along the arena, avoiding all he could, while his shield dealt with the rest. The ancient metal of Crocea Mors was left unscathed each time ice exploded against him, standing adamant even as magical frost attempted to freeze the relic.

Hall fired off a few more bursts, only to frown as the ice blasts exploded ineffectually against his target. Jaune's poor style was now being carried by his equipment, rather than his aura, the shield blocking the Frost Diver blasts while the sword sliced apart the resultant icy blooms. So, rather than waste any more time with that tactic, the Scholar decided to change up his technique. Fire began gathering in the air around him, lighting up the room as the sparks of heat came to life, flickering for a few moments before he shot off bolt after bolt at the student.

Jaune readied his shield, preparing for the impact as he hid behind the metal. Yet, even he was smart enough not to take unnecessary damage, and rather than wait for the bolts of flame to arrive, the Arc began to move. The heater shield was large enough to deflect the fire bolts, saving the swordsman from immediate damage as he tried to weave along the battlefield. Still, each time he blocked a bolt of flame, the air grew more oppressive, his breath growing heavier at the rising heat. He couldn't afford to take so many shots, and the boy willed himself to move faster.

And move faster he did.

It wasn't long before the Scholar noticed the change. Now that the student was finally avoiding his shots, the Scholar had to get a bit more creative with his firebolts. The man quickly changed his target from the blonde swordsman to the air trailing him, filling the room with a storm of fire as he forced the young man's movements to somewhere more manageable.

This, of course, meant a lot of free-flying firebolts, and Glynda was not amused. With a simple gesture of her weapon, the instructor used her semblance to pull the orbs of flame out of the air, wrenching them from their flight path as she threw them back towards the arena. The bolts of magic were randomly scattered, though the Scholar was certain that a few of the bolts were aimed specifically at him.

Granted, they were far less than the ones that seemed to be aimed at Jaune, so he didn't complain. Either way, he had more important things to deal with, and as he began directing his quarry to a particular spot in the arena, Hall prepared a different spell.

A wall of fire shot up beside Jaune, the sudden blaze blocking some of his vision. The air grew heavy as he watched the blinding flame, and the huntsman-in-training finally realized what the Scholar had planned; Jaune was fairly certain that this was a strategy meant to herd him down a particular path. Rather than following Hall's supposed plan, the blonde swordsman took charge, holding up his shield as he rushed directly into the wall of flame. It had damaged his aura far less than he had anticipated, with most of the heat deflected by his shield.

And, moments later, a flurry of icicles flew forth, tearing apart the empty air that he had been standing in seconds ago. At least his instincts worked, right?

Almost immediately, the young man flinched, his instincts warning him of his opponent as the Arc's gaze turned back to Hall. Jaune noticed that there were no more manifestations of ice or fire hovering above the Scholar, and yet, his gut told him that something was coming. Gripping his shield with renewed vigor, the swordsman adjusted his stance, trying to read his opponent's next move. Could he use things beyond fire and ice? It would be a problem if the teaching assistant started using electricity or something, as that would easi-

"Jaune! Watch out!"

Pyrrha's voice suddenly cried out, and Jaune could feel the panic erupting from his partner. Rather than question it, he threw himself to the side, skidding along the ground in a less-than-graceful manner. And though he already felt sore from that action, the young man didn't complain, his eyes fixed on the spot where he stood moments ago. There was just enough time for the young man to see a glyph disappear, as mere moments later, countless stalagmites had shot upwards from the arena floor, skewering the spot where he had once stood.

The fact that these earthen spikes disappeared moments later did little to comfort Jaune, as his face blanched. Just what was that?

"Oh come on!" Another voice rang out, this time in disappointment. A certain Cardin Winchester seemed annoyed at Pyrrha's sudden intrusion. Unlike Jaune Arc, the rest of the class had a clear view of the arena, and they all saw the faint white glyph that had gathered inches above the marble arena floors. Of course, the little miss perfect had to ruin the fun by giving her teammate a tip. "That was interference!"

"... While it is a team's responsibility to watch out for one another, I would like to ask Miss Nikos to refrain from interrupting these demonstration sessions in the future." Glynda seemed to agree, though for much less malicious reasons than the leader of Team CDRL. "As for Mr. Arc... Your motions slow and sluggish, and you are far too reliant on your equipment. You did not even properly watch your aura." Yet, despite her harsh tone of voice, the blonde teacher was still impressed. Jaune had certainly performed far better than she had expected... especially given the fact that Hall had never used _that_ particular spell before.

What else was that person hiding?

"Regardless, that's all for today's class. I trust that there are no questions?" The instructor kept a professional tone as she spoke to the students. Despite the previous interest in the defensive bout, most of the class consisted of bored students, who seemed to be more intent on leaving than asking questions. "Good. With that said, you'll all be please to know that the replacement lockers have arrived, and sparring sessions will resume again next class."

This shook the students their boredom. They were finally going to be able to fight again!

Glynda's eyes suddenly narrowed, as the instructor turned to a certain member of Team JNPR. "I trust there won't be a repeat of last week's incident, Miss Valkyrie?"

"Hehe... Yeah..." Nora chuckled nervously, while the rest of the class flinched. The memory of the incident was fresh in their minds... Who knew dust reacted with pancakes like that? Or that the resulting explosion was enough to wipe out nearly half the lockers? The forges were fully booked that week, and practical lessons had to take the back seat as students had been forced to leave their equipment in the dorms. And while some tried to downplay this little disadvantage, the fact that the dorms were ten minutes away from the training hall meant a lot of wasted time.

And Glynda Goodwitch did not appreciate wasted time.

"Good. Now, before you all leave, I'd like to remind you all to come in early next class. Attendance will be mandatory, as every student will need to be briefed on the new lockers before they are assigned one." There was a collective groan from the class, and though the teacher didn't know who started it, she quickly ended it with a sharp glare. "I recommend you pay attention to the briefing, as new features have been installed to these models. Failure to attend will result in a lower grade."

That was enough to quiet the students, and with that out of the way, the class was dismissed.

* * *

Jaune Arc had arrived at the tutorial session with a nervous breath. He really was struggling in Oobleck's class, and while he did get some help from his team, it was never enough to make up for his impromptu naps whenever the instructor tried to lecture. Yet, he didn't really know anything about the teaching assistant beyond what he had learned from initiation.

Sure, he understood the young man's circumstances, since Ozpin had made it abundantly clear to both Team RWBY and Team JNPR back when the teams first formed. And Ruby shared a lot about the Hall monitor, even if most of what she said seemed so... inconsistent. But Jaune could never figure out what type of person the Scholar was; Hall always acted one way when he was assisting with Professor Port's grimm studies class, then another way entirely when he was helping Glynda's combat class. Even now, when he was about to tutor for Oobleck's history class, Jaune honestly didn't know how to categorize the Hall monitor.

Mainly because he was currently arguing with Team RWBY, trying justifying the consumption of some fried fish along with cookies. _That_ made absolutely no sense to the Arc.

"As I've said, fish is good for the mind, and is complemented by a plate of cookies as dessert."

"What? How does that work? And besides, didn't you say that cookies helped out with your spiritu-whatever? Why would you need fish to go along with it?"

"Blakey says the same thing, except she hates cookies. Are you sure you're not just lying about something?"

Yep. Absolutely no sense. Still, the blonde was so focused on the discussion that he didn't notice the final member of the tutorial session walk up behind him. A heavy hand slapped him on the back, hitting just below the young man's armour, drawing out a pained grunt.

"Hey Jauney, you should be more careful. Standing in the middle of the doorway's not the safest place to be." Cardin snickered, before walking past the smaller boy, 'accidentally' bumping into him as he knocked over Jaune's bag.

The sudden clattering was enough to draw the attention of the rest of the group, and Hall immediately changed his tone. "Ah. It seems that you've all arrived. Let's start the tutorial session, then. Now, I'd like everyone to grab a partner for this first assignment."

"C'mon Yang, let's go!" Ruby quickly tugged at her sister's arms, pulling the both of them to one of the seats.

Of course, this meant that Jaune's partner was Cardin.

"Great..."


	33. A Learning Experience (3)

**Chapter 33**  
 **A Learning Experience (3)**

* * *

Hall was... anxious.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, but one he also knew by heart. Weird, wasn't it?

Yet, there was no other way for the man to rationalize his thoughts, as a constant sense of unease had long settled itself in his mind. From the moment he had left the Emerald Forest, the Scholar had been plagued with a gnawing sensation of unrest. The fact that Raydrics had somehow formed in those ruins was something that weighed heavily on his mind, and if it weren't for the fact that he was now bogged down by mundane tasks, he would be attempting to research the phenomenon at this very moment.

Which was probably why he had received these tasks, to be honest.

The Hall monitor quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind. After all, the idea that they would try to distract him with pointless busy-work, especially when there was something he **needed** to do, irked the young man to no end. Besides his discovery of the Yggdrasil Seed at the Ruins, the Scholar had accomplished nothing during his last excursion. And now, rather than giving him the opportunity to conduct another one, he had been forced t-

"Hey Teach! What chapters did we have to read over, again? It's hard for us to _build_ up an understanding if you don't write it on the board. I mean, aren't you supposed to be _monitoring_ our learning?"

Hall screamed internally.

However, he still maintained an outward appearance of aloof indifference, his gaze turning over to the blonde brawler, letting out a measured sigh as he spotted the cocky grin plastered on her face. "Miss Xiao Long... the chapters for our current topic, the reconstruction of the Grand Mistrali Colosseum, can be found in chapters 5 and 6. Now, are there any other questions?"

"Yeah. Why are we learning about some stupid building?" Winchester was the next to speak out. Obviously, the taller male held little respect for the Scholar, but Hall paid little attention to the huntsman-in-training's behaviour. He had been informed that, unless the students caused problems directly, he should simply ignore their antics.

"If you have an issue with the syllabus, you are free to voice your concerns with Doctor Oobleck." Hall ignored the student's quip, turning away from the moronic mace-wielder, his attention turning back to the rest of the class. Not that a room of only four students could be called a class, but the Scholar had booked an entire lecture hall, and he intended to use it. "Does anyone else have a question?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! I have a question!"

Ruby's enthusiasm was in stark contrast to her previous peers, and it would've been heartening if it wasn't for the fact that Ruby was Ruby. Not that the Hall monitor meant anything malicious by it; It was just that he wasn't sure whether the red leader would be asking a serious question, or something completely unrelated the class. In his previous tutorial session with the girl, he had found that Ruby had a tendency to chat, rather than learn.

Still, he was the tutor, so he had no choice but to accept the student's question.

"How much of this will be covered in the next assignment?" Silver eyes turned to the Scholar, as the leader of Team RWBY spoke out.

It was actually a decent question, and Hall was pleasantly surprised. Of course, he shouldn't be, since he knew the girl was unmotivated, not unreasonable. Sort of like her sister, really. "... For this section, I recommend learning the dates and reasons behind its construction. You should also familiarize yourself with the extent its influence on the coming years, but not much more is required beyond that."

A nod from each of the students, including Cardin surprisingly enough, told Hall that his answer was adequate enough. And, seeing no more questions, the Scholar began his tutorial session proper. It was much less hectic than a formal class from Oobleck, and the fact that Hall had been using his own notes to supplement the lecture meant that he was following an organized lesson plan that required little input from him.

So there was little conscious thought as the young man prattled on, regurgitating pointless facts about some ancient building that probably wasn't even standing anymore. His mind wandered as he began listing names, once significant decades ago, but long forgotten in today's era. And he unconsciously frowned as his thoughts fell on something very important.

"... acted as a symbol of knowledge and unity, marking a step towards the revitalization of Mistral. Because of this, many historians believed that the decrease in grimm raids in the following years could be attributed to the Colosseum's completion alone." Hall finished his excerpt, as his thoughts flitted to the grimm... Especially since they reminded him of something _else_.

They were far more than just generic monsters of darkness and destruction, and the Scholar could feel some sense of familiarity from them. Where else had he seen blackened creatures with bone-white masks before? Especially creatures that had an affinity with negative emotions... The Scholar _knew_ that he'd seen something similar before. He'd have to check his encyclopedia later. That little book was a treasure trove of information, and he was honestly surprised that he never used it up until now. Why had he left it alone for so long? In fact, why were all of his other books equally ignored?

Before he could follow this line of thought further, a nervous cough snapped him back to attention. Standing in front of him was a certain blue-eyed blonde, waving nervously at the Scholar while a more rambunctious blonde and her sister waited behind him.

"So... Should we hand in our assignments as soon as we finish with them?" The Arc stood in front of the Scholar, two separate sheets of paper in hand as he cautiously waved them around.

Hall quickly recomposed himself, nodding at the young huntsman-in-training's question as he took the papers. "That is correct. Now, let's see how you..." The Scholar's brow furrowed as he glanced over the paper, before looking back at the blonde swordsman. "Mr. Arc. Could you please explain to me why both sheets are in your handwriting? I thought I explained that this assignment was a group assignment, which means equal participation."

"Oh, well... Uhm..." The swordsman gave a look back to his 'partner', and the Scholar's gaze followed, resting on Cardin. The Cardin who was currently napping with both his feet on the table.

"Mr. Arc, is there an issue between you and Mr. Winchester?"

"Nope! No issue at all!" The way the boy responded was far too quick to imply anything but greivious issues, so the Hall monitor merely raised an eyebrow in confusion. The overdone handwaving didn't help matters either.

And, of course, Jaune's friends from Team RWBY saw his vehement denial, which only further fueled suspicion.

"Hey Jaune... Cardin's not bullying you, is he?" Ruby Rose was the first to pose the question that was on everyone's mind, a look of doubt washing over her face. "It seems like he's been harassing you a lot lately..."

"C'mon now, Ruby. He's not _harassing_ me. He's just... you know... Cardin." The Arc tried to brush the issue aside, but a quick look of disapproval told the young man that he was not snaking out of this discussion so easily.

But, the lecture that followed was of no concern to the Hall monitor. Instead, he took the remaining assignments from Team RWBY, and set about marking them. After all, the young man had more important things to worry about. The anxiety of inaction was still fresh in his mind, as were the growing thoughts of grimm.

But he knew that he'd be able to do something soon. The teachers has informed him of an upcoming trip to Forever Fall. It hadn't been formally announced yet, but the Scholar was looking forward to it. After all, for the first time in weeks, he'd be allowed back into the wilderness.

He had so much research to catch up on. No one else seemed intent on investigating this mystery, so the Scholar was alone.

* * *

It was rare that the dormitory of Team RWBY was silent.

Not that Blake Belladonna didn't appreciate the liveliness of her Team, but all too often, there would be some discussion or another that eventually spills over to the rest of the room, whether it's Yang and Ruby chatting about something, Weiss lecturing Ruby about something, or Yang and Weiss arguing about something. Sure, there were other reasons for the silence to be broken, and she herself often participated in any number of this discussions, but they were still the main reasons why moments of silence within their dorm were brief.

Which was why the incognito Faunus was thankful for the period of respite she had been given. After all, she had been busying herself over the otherworldly encyclopedia, and while the novelty was starting to wear thin, there were still a fair amount of entries left that held her interest. Currently, she was reading about 'classes', adventure archetypes that existed in Rune Midgard. Admittedly, she was a bit influenced by the previous books she'd read, but Blake was still very interested in the Ninjas of Rune Midgard.

Before she could finish reading a section about various throwing weapons, however, her teammates clamoured back into the room. Well, her partner and her partner's sister did, at least. Seems they were done with their little tutorial session.

"We're baa- Huh?" Ruby's voice immediately transitioned from unbound enthusiasm to confusion, the girl quickly glancing around the room before falling to the girl in black. "Hey Blake, do you know where Weiss is?" Curiosity was evident on her little red leader's face, yet the faunus wasn't able to offer the girl much in the way of answers.

"No, sorry. She said she wanted to ask Professor Port something, but I assumed that she'd be back by now." Blake looked up from her book, her hand keeping track of her spot in the massive encyclopedia as she faced the two girls. "Did you need her for something?"

"Not really!" Ruby quickly shook her head, taking the opportunity to plop herself down beside Blake. "I just wanted to let her know that I managed to make up for my assignment today!" And with that, the girl held out the worksheet she had worked on throughout the tutorial. She looked so proud to get an above-average mark that Blake didn't have the heart in her to tell the little leader what Weiss's probable reaction would be.

"So whatcha reading?" All thoughts of the history project vanished as her team leader peeked over her shoulder. Unfortunately, the faunus wasn't too enthused about sharing the topic, mainly because of the reaction her partner's sure to show. "Ooh, Ninjas!"

"Ninjas, you say?" Yang flashed a cheerful smile as she sat down beside her sister. "I think I saw a certain book about ninjas in Blakey's little bookshelf."

That got a reaction out of Blake, her eyes widening as she lunged over her leader, dropping the encyclopedia aside as she pounced on her partner. "W-w-wait!"

There was a short spat, a conflict between two energetic young women as they fought for control over the mysterious book. Yang rolled to the side, ducking out of the way as she hopped off the bed. The blonde beauty wore a playful grin as she watched her partner collide with the bed. Amazingly, the precarious bunk bed held, the entire structure shifting due to the girl in black's sudden attack, the book-supports not swaying in the least.

Ruby, for the most part, did her best to get out of the way. A burst of rose petals signaled her withdrawal from the conflict, as the red reaper dove to the fallen encyclopedia, swiping it before she ran off to take shelter in the other bunk bed.

Yet, there would be no refuge, as Blake activated her semblance. A shadow clone lunged out at the blonde brawler, barely missing Yang as it collided against a pile of books, scattering them to the floor before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Two more such clones flashed out, one going wide as it tackled the bunk bed, while the other impacted squarely against Yang.

The blonde tried to regain her footing, but stumbled backwards, tripping over a cabinet as the poor storage unit was knocked aside, spilling various clothes onto the floor. Rather than try to clean up the mess, however, Yang quickly balanced herself, speeding off in the opposite direction towards her sister.

"Hey Rubes! Catch!" Just as she tried to pass the book, Blake tackled the blonde down onto the ground, stopping her actions short as the heavy book flew wide.

There was no hiding from Yang or her partner, and Ruby could only let out a yelp of surprise as she ducked out of the way of the low-flying book. The sound of book meeting wall echoed through the room, and the point of impact was marked by a dent in the wall.

A very noticeable dent in the wall. It could even be considered a hole, if you were to look at it in certain a light.

Ruby quickly set to work, trying to mask the damage as she covered the hole with one of Weiss's paintings, the beautiful backdrop of Forever Fall hiding the destruction and carnage that lay beneath. Once the red leader was content with her work, she turned her attention to the book that had caused the incident. Leaning down, the hooded reaper picked up the hardcover book, much to the protests of her ribboned teammate.

"Ruby, wait! I-I can explain!"

"... Principles of Magic?" Ruby's voice was filled with confusion as she read out the title of the book. This was obviously not one of Blake's embarrassing romance novels that she kept hidden away. Instead, this seemed to be one of the many books that the group borrowed from Hall.

A very interesting book.

""... Wait, what?""

To say that the three girls were interested would be an understatement. Their little skirmish stopped as Blake pulled herself off of her blonde partner. Both girls made their way to their leader, curiosity in their eyes as they sat down beside Ruby.

Hall had long since stated his abilities were magic, much to the chagrin of Weiss, and whether that fact was technically scientifically true or not mattered little to the girls of Team RBY. What they had here was a rare chance to figure out exactly how the hall monitor's abilities might've worked. And hopefully, if they were lucky, they could learn a few things for themselves.

Which was why Yang designated her sister as 'Honorary Bookbearer'. Little Red Reading Hood? The Grim Teacher? Something book-related, yet something Ruby didn't care about as she quickly turned the cover.

"This book is to help students study and build a strong foundation of magic. If you are a student having troubles with using the elements, then take these pages to heart... Written by a Sage Shawn."

With awe-struck eyes, Ruby read the words written on the first page. The penmanship was immaculate, and clearly written in the same alphabet as the rest of the Scholar's books. Coupled with the fancy ink and elaborate drawing of... something that looks like dust? The book definitely looked genuine. Without skipping a beat, Ruby turned another page, reading out the next contents of the book.

It was a shame that Weiss was stuck listening to some long-winded story about Port's earlier hunting expeditions. Even the Heiress would've appreciated how ... _different_ the world of Rune Midgard's environment was. But, as it stands, only three members of Team RWBY got a chance to read up on the intricacies and relationships between the different elements of the foreign world.

* * *

It was a brand new day, and the students of Beacon were in a rare state of enthusiasm. It was 7 in the morning, and most teenagers would still be groggy or listless during this time, but this particular class was anything but inattentive.

After all, they'd be getting their new lockers. Which meant that, after the long haitus imposed by the Pancake Incident, students would finally be able to spar against each other once more. This fact alone was more than enough to brighten the mood of any aspiring huntsman- or huntress-in-training.

Except for an irate heiress, who could do little but frown at her associates. To say she was annoyed was to put it mildly. First, she had returned from a successful evening of studying to find her teammates buried in some book. Now, that wouldn't be a problem in its own right, if it wasn't for the fact that their dormitories had been completely wrecked by Dust knows what. Weiss suspected that it was the result of their shenanigans, but no one was willing to fess up, so she had ordered them all to clean up.

That's when she found out that her precious painting had been used to cover another casualty of their roughhousing. Once they had cleaned up their little mess, Weiss forced them to visit the supply office to find some plaster to repair the dent, a task that should've only taken a few minutes to execute, but took many times more due to a line.

By the time she finally got to the topic of the book, her partner was too tired to translate, and Blake had lost the translation napkin somewhere, so the heiress had to deal with her curiosity alone. Was it any surprise that she could not sleep that night?

So, by the time the next day had rolled along, the room outside of the training hall was filled with countless bright-eyed students and Weiss. Yet, even the tired lady in white could not afford to lose focus, and with strained eyes, she turned her attention to the teacher.

"Now, as I'm sure you all know, last week's storage mishap resulted in the suspension of student sparring sessions. As Miss Valkyrie has agreed to not repeat her previous mistakes, I am pleased to announce that new lockers have finally arrived, and sparring sessions will continue once more." Glynda Goodwitch stood at the front of the room, her words calm and collected as she quickly lectured the students. The tone of her voice was neutral, which made it more disconcerting for a certain student when her eyes bore down at Nora. This glare only lasted for just a moment, giving barely enough time for the orange-haired girl to feel guilt before Glynda's gaze returned to the rest of the class.

"These lockers are far more durable than the ones you are used to, and should deter any future... incidents. Each of you will be assigned one rocket-propelled locker to store your weapons and extra armour. Additionally, your locker can be sent to a custom location based on a six-digit code. Are there any qu-"

The sound of a door slam could be heard from the back of the room, as a certain blonde swordsman found himself buried inside a metal coffin. The person who had placed him inside the locker wasted no time, making full use of his newfound knowledge as he inputted a few numbers into the rocket locker's panel. Moments later, the locker took flight.

There was a light pause, and Glynda's neutral expression broke instantly. Disbelief washed over the teacher's face as she turned to Cardin, unable to mentally rationalize what had just happened.

"... Mr. Hall, please take Team JNPR to retrieve their leader. Mr. Winchester, do I even need to inform you of your detention?"

Cardin kept an innocent grin plastered on his face, even as the screaming voice of Jaune Arc faded into the distance.


	34. A Learning Experience (4)

**Chapter 34**  
 **A Learning Experience (4)**

* * *

There was a moment of silence.

Confusion was painted on the students' faces, as their gaze shifted from their teacher to Cardin, then back to each other. A few of them turned their view to the remainder of Team JNPR, while others contented themselves by staring at the hole in the ceiling. Honestly, no one had expected that Cardin would be so audacious as to _launch_ a fellow student off into who-knows-where, using brand new school-issued lockers, _while a teacher was standing right there._

This confused pause lasted a moment longer, before a few of the students finally spurred themselves into action.

"Can we help too?" A little red leader shot her hand up, the question on her mind as Ruby turned to the female instructor. Her reasoning was two-fold, and while a part of her did want to ask Hall a few questions about the book, most of her mind was still on the fact that Jaune was launched out of a rocket locker. "Jaune's our friend, and we're worried about him too."

There was also a part of her that wanted to see how safe the procedure was, so she could try using them as an impromptu mission deployment method. Thankfully, that part stayed silent.

Ordinarily, Glynda would not consider such requests. This was clearly an issue pertaining to Team JNPR alone, and the task itself was a relatively simple retrieval task, which didn't necessitate two teams. However, Team RWBY has shown solidarity with JNPR, and this would serve to build more cohesion between the two groups. The fact that she'd have another four pairs of eyes watching over the Hall monitor was just a convenient bonus for the female teacher.

"... Very well. In that case, the following lockers will be assigned to you seven... And I suppose Mr. Arc's transport locker will be assigned to him as well, once he lands." Glynda pressed a few buttons on her Scroll, quickly issuing Team JNPR and RWBY their new lockers. Once that was done, the teacher accessed a different feature on her scroll, her eyes narrowing as she tracked Jaune's rocket-propelled storage unit. It was on a direct trajectory for the Emerald Forest.

Of course.

"Now, prepare your equipment. Mr. Winchester—" Glynda shot a glare at the cocky team leader, "—has decided to shuttle Mr. Arc to the Emerald Forest. I trust that the two teams will make adequate preparations for the excursion." It took only a quick glance at Team RWBY to confirm that her unspoken message was received. Many oddities had taken place in that forest, and the huntress was certain that this time would be no different. She sent quick message to Ozpin, before turning back to the rest of the class. "As for the rest of you..."

Not that the following words mattered for Team RWBY and JNPR.

"Yaay!" Ruby cheered, a smile on her face before she turned back to her team, only to find curiosity plastered on their faces. "..Um? What's up, guys?"

"Just... What are you thinking?" This was far too early for Weiss, but apparently, she still had to act as the voice of reason for the group. The heiress brought a hand up to her head, closing her eyes as she picked her next words carefully. "Why did you volunteer us on a mission to retrieve that... idiot?" Hey, she tried.

"Yeah, Rubes. Not that I'm complaining, but weren't you more interested in being able to spar? You were all but squealing over it this morning." Sure, Yang had been doing the same, but that's because she enjoyed the prospect of letting loose. And it's not like the Emerald Forest didn't have anything else to fight; It was still technically a grimm-infested forest, after all.

"W-well, I'm worried about Jaune, you know?"

That much was true, but it didn't take a genius to tell that the red reaper had a few other things on her mind. The girls of Team RWBY knew that Pyrrha alone would've been enough to ensure the young man's safety, so why had their leader volunteered the team? It was a lengthy excursion, and one that could potentially take up to a few hours if worst came to worst.

And given their track record at that place, it usually did.

So it was no surprise that absolutely no one on her team, neither Weiss nor Blake nor Yang, was convinced by their leader's excuse. It only took a few seconds under their collective glares before Ruby crumbled.

"O-okay, fine! I... Uh... I just didn't want to... go to Professor Port's class today..." The last words were mumbled, barely audible to her teammates let alone anyone else. Honestly, they were surprised that Ruby would pull something this blatant. Was she always this mischievous? Yet, before Weiss could scold her, Ruby spoke up once more. "D-don't look at me like that! He's only going over stuff we already know... And we could also take this as a chance to ask Hall about his magic book, too."

With her real reason out of the way, her teammates let out a sigh. She wasn't wrong, as the huntsman had taken it upon himself to recite a lengthy tale on Beowolf wrestling these past few lectures, and he showed no indication of stopping anytime soon.

... And they'd be lying if they said they weren't interested on the prospect of learning Magic...

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos did not trust their new teacher assistant.

Well, _new_ wasn't exactly the correct word to use, since it had almost been a month. Still, the fact remains that he had undergone a seamless transition from mysterious aggressor to honourary staff member, and that gave no comfort to the huntress-in-training. In fact, he had full permission to watch over two huntsmen teams as they made their way through a grimm-infested forest. Wasn't that meant for trusted teachers? Yet, it was already half an hour into the journey, and no one else found it odd. Even the pilot for their Bullhead went out of his way to greet the Hall monitor.

She wasn't sure whether the staff had missed the young man's abilities, or if they simply didn't care, but the red champion had seen first-hand what the Hall Monitor was capable of. After all, she had met him head-on back during initiation incident. Not only was he faster and more durable than most Huntsman she'd seen, he also wielded a Semblance far beyond anything the myrmidon had heard of.

No, not Semblance. She had received the same explanation that the rest of them had: He was a person from another world, and what he wielded was magic. Was it any surprise that she was suspicious of the man? She could tell that, of her teammates, only Ren was the same way. A quick glance to the green gunman confirmed that, as the young man kept a watchful eye on their escort, keeping equal attention on the Scholar and on the woods.

Nora and her absent team leader had a much more relaxed opinion, however, due to the positive remarks from Ruby. The red leader was convinced that Hall was merely a victim of circumstance, and she seemed to trust the hall monitor the same way she did the rest of them. Sure, he acted as a tutor, and even Pyrrha was surprised by how much effort the young man had put into learning the curriculum, given his situation.

Of course, the red warrior would be as happy as everyone else if he truly was innocent. After all, she'd much rather focus her efforts on beating back to the grimm, instead of throwing suspicion on supposedly trustworthy people. Yet, she couldn't help but worry about the young man's circumstances and motives.

That, and she also worried about the fact that she could not use her Semblance on the man.

If things took a turn for the worse, and they had to face off against the man, Pyrrha was not completely confident how well she'd be able to fight him. Her semblance was useless the last time she tried to use it on him, unable to affect any of his equipment during their previous battle. This meant she had to deal with conventional methods of attack, which wasn't much better for a technical fighter like herself. He was surprisingly durable, as he'd survived a direct from Nora without much effort, and his abilities were more than adequate in shutting down the rest of the team.

One ability in particular made the redhead's body shiver, as she recalled the events of that day. The Hall monitor had ended the conflict on his terms, using his strange powers to completely halt her motions. Even now, she remembered the cold sensation of her aura freezing up, her motions slowing to a crawl as rock and soil tried to entomb her. She had no idea what that technique was, but the fact that she _still_ couldn't think of a way to counter it left her uneasy.

And yet, she and Ren seemed to be the only ones concerned about this person. Did the staff truly trust him that much? Was Team RWBY honestly that accepting of the mysterious man? The red champion fixed her gaze on Hall once again, watching as he and Ruby began discussing... something.

"Wait, what do you mean we can't learn it?" A look of surprise appeared on the red reaper's face, and Pyrrha couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about.

"I mean exactly what I said. The elements that are the foundation of magic simply do not exist in this world, so you can't learn it."

Oh, okay. Hall's clarification certainly explains a-...

"What?!" The red warrior immediately interrupted their conversation. "Are... are you seriously trying to learn _magic_?" There was a conflicted look of... something on Pyrrha's face. She wasn't quite sure what, yet, but it was definitely there. Sure, she had been worrying about the hall monitor's potential motives and plans, but she was allowed to question something as outrageous as that, right?

"Err... No?" Ruby's bold-faced lie was unconvincing, as the rest of Team JNPR gave her a curious stare.

* * *

Well... it could've been worse.

Jaune was a man who always tried to remain... optimistic? No, that's not quite right. He wouldn't admit it to his team, but he was definitely one to let certain thoughts fester far longer than they had any right to. Even when that wasn't the case, he simply wasn't as much of a positive thinker as Ruby or Nora, as doubts had a way of catching up to him. But even still, he tried to maintain a positive mindset, forcing himself whenever he remembered to, and the current situation definitely called for a positive outlook.

Sure, he was currently airborne, blindly flying to God-knows-where inside a rocket-propelled coffin, but at least his motion sickness wasn't acting up, right? And even if he suddenly crashed, impacting with such force to send excruciating pain through his untrained body, his aura was probably enough to ensure that he'd likely survive!

...This was not working out for the young Arc.

But before he could try to come up with another positive thought, his world came to a halt. A sudden crash sounded out, and all motion ceased, as the rocket locker struck the ground. Surprisingly, the landing was jarring more than painful, which made sense when he realized that people likely stored volatile dust canisters inside these lockers. Or rations, like Nora's pancakes.

Or bombs, like Nora's grenades.

That's a thought he didn't need. Rather than dwell on potentially exploding food-delivery systems, the young man began fumbling around insides of the locker, hoping to find some sort of emergency exit. Surely it was something the designers considered, right? He wasn't pioneering new engineering requirements by being the first to get jettisoned off to unknown lands by equipment storage, right?

Okay, that impact must've hit him harder than he thought. He was never had much of a mind for engineering, so he was surprised to feel that particular thought floating around. Regardless, it was certainly better than panicking, which is what he would've done in this situation were he not confused. Thankfully, it only took a few moments of searching before he had found the release hatch, and with a firm pull, Jaune flipped the switch. The sound of creaking metal and shifting gears echoed through the locker, before the hatch suddenly opened, unceremoniously ejecting the boy face-first onto ground.

"Ow..." Jaune pulled himself up with little difficulty, his aura absorbing most of the mild impact and his hair absorbing most of the grass. "Okay Jaune. Let's try to figure out where you are. You can't be that far from beacon, right?" He was mostly talking to thin air, but the young arc needed something to focus his mind.

Which was why he had not expected the empty air to answer back.

"Oh dear. That was certainly an entrance." It was a soft voice, but one that reached the blonde swordsman's ears. "But I'm sorry to say, if beacon is that place on the cliffside, then you are quite far, Mr. Jaune."

He also didn't expect the air to have a lilting voice, playful with just a hint of formality.

Jaune Arc had no choice but to turn around, confusion on his face as his focus shifted to the owner of the voice. That confusion quickly turned to embarrassment, as he spotted the smiling face of a beautiful blonde woman in blue-plated armour.

Ordinarily, plate armour was gender neutral, but her outfit was designed in such a way to accentuate her body. Maybe it was only decorative, and wasn't supposed to be worn in actual combat, but the fact of the matter was that the young woman before him wore a very form-fitting suit of armour that didn't leave much to imagination. Jaune's vision immediately turned to a nearby rock, his cheeks flushed as he tried to think of something to say. "A-ah! Um... uh... W-who are you?"

The female knight chuckled at the boy's bashfulness, a two gloved fingers resting against her lips as she smiled at him. "Oh, I guess I should introduce myself, shouldn't I? Though... I apologize, since I can't seem to recall my name, due to my condition."

Condition? That brought some curiosity to the young Arc, and turned back to the female knight. She seemed to be okay, if a little pale, but... that's not right. She was more than a little pale. If anything, she seemed faded in some way. Before he could question it further, however, the young woman spoke out once more.

"But still, it's nice to meet you! I am a Khalitzburg Knight, who once served in Glastheim."

This... made no sense to the Arc. What's a Khalitzburg Knight? And is Glastheim a place or something?

Of course, the Khalitzburg could see the confusion on the young man's face, and while she could not understand _why_ he was confused, the woman quickly came to her own conclusions. "I guess that's a mouthful to say... So, for now, I suppose you could call me Kali?"

* * *

Ozpin froze.

To his credit, he still kept a firm grip on his mug. After all, given what he had just observed, no one could blame him if he'd suddenly dropped the thing entirely. Yet, the headmaster was more composed than most, and after a few moments of silence, Ozpin began trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed.

He had been informed of Mr. Arc's impromptu 'deployment' to the Emerald Forest, so he had naturally accessed the perimeter cameras there. Before the young man had landed, there was no trace of activity in the woods, beyond a few straggling packs of grimm; Certainly nothing like the incident earlier this month, at any rate. As a result, the headmaster wasn't too worried about the young man, so he had merely used the locker's positional data to find out where the Arc's landing site would be, and kept that camera-feed open.

He didn't really expect anything dangerous to happen to the boy, so he left holodisplay in the background, free to chirp out if anything serious happened, while he turned his attention back to some paperwork. But before he could fully engross himself into the dull sheets of paper, the Headmaster had heard Jaune's entrance from the display. A short while later, it was followed by the sound of the locker opening, and the boy's words as he began talking to himself. By itself, that quirk wasn't too unexpected, given the boy's tendencies to vocally stabilize himself.

No, the unexpected came in the form of the second voice. A feminine voice belonging to a young woman who had not been there moments ago.

And, just as strange as the voice was, its owner was something far stranger, she barely registered on the security camera; Not in the sense of poor camera angle or poor image lighting, but in the literal sense. The figure of the blonde woman, garbed in a strange azure plate mail, was barely visible on the holodisplay, flickering translucently in the air. Even her form seemed to hover a few inches off the ground, and Ozpin could do little but watch the scene in confusion.

Yet, her voice was perfectly clear, the camera picking up the mysterious words as she began talking to the young Arc. These mysterious words spoke of the city from another world, which was more than enough for the headmaster to confirm her origins.

So why was it that, unlike Hall's words back when he entered Remnant, or the voices of the Raydrics from the last Emerald Forest incident, Ozpin could understand these words perfectly?


	35. A Learning Experience (5)

**Chapter 35**  
 **A Learning Experience (5)**

* * *

To say that the Scholar was tired was putting it lightly. He hadn't expected Team RWBY to tag along in the retrieval of Jaune Arc, and he certainly hadn't expected the slew of questions that the huntress-in-training team decided to throw at him. Didn't they have enough tact to _not_ ask about the fundamental forces of nature? Sure, it's one thing to be curious, but Hall was under the impression that Magic didn't exist in this world.

Not that Weiss's previous qualms with Rune-Midgard's form of magic didn't confound him. The little lady in white certainly had a point, in that his magic was less a fantastical magic, and more a system that just uses elements in some other way.

Or something. Either way, those elements weren't exactly present in Remnant, so Team RWBY's questions were pointless either way. At least, that's what he thought, until their ribboned teammate in black brought up an important point.

"If we can't use magic... Why can you?" A curious voice asked one of the more important questions, as Miss Belladonna often seemed to do. If Hall was a teacher, he'd be proud of her insight, at least in the occasions where she chooses to be proactive. But he was a teaching assistant, and his only goal at the moment was to retrieve a post-rocket swordsman.

With that said, Blake's question was certainly one to consider. The Hall monitor hadn't done anything different from his spell invocations; He merely choose to cast a spell, and the requisite Spiritual Power was consumed in order to give the spell life. Now that he thought about it, he'd never once interacted with the base elements in any of his incantations. Which makes sense, because those base elements don't appear in this world.

...Do they? Dust acted as an adequate substitute to his catalysts, and they still followed a rough outline of elemental conventions.

Whatever. That's not the issue at the moment, and the Scholar had more important things to worry about than a scientifically accurate dissertation on the conversion of Rune-Midgardian elements to Remnant elements.

"Does that mean there's magic for exploding things, too?" An orange-haired woman who wielded an outrageous warhammer was the next to ask a question. She wasn't even part of Team RWBY, but Hall had been acquainted well enough with her antics to know exactly who Nora Valkyrie was.

Not that her last name wasn't interesting in its own right. The very fact that she was named a Valkyrie brought... confusion to the young man. Remnant was definitely a different world, so why did that name carry over? Regardless, he had no choice but to placate her, lest her energy boil over. That would not bode well for anyone.

"Yes, Miss Valkyrie. That's usually what we use magic for."

"What about pancakes? Or just cooking in general?" The next was a seemingly random question, but as Hall stared at the pink girl, he couldn't help but catch a fleeting moment of insight in her turquoise eyes.

The young man was at a loss. "... No. No, Scholars like myself just use magic for combat."

"That doesn't sound very Scholarly." Nora's voice sang out matter-of-factually, and the Hall monitor couldn't find it in himself to disagree.

"...So is there any magic that makes you go faster?" Fortunately, a certain ball of enthusiasm didn't let up, and Ruby immediately resumed her other questions. She seemed more intent on learning about magic in general. "Because if I could go zooping around even more, I'd go Wa-cha! Hi-ya! Zzzewm!"

Sufficed to say, the little red reaper did a good job of diffusing potentially heavy conversations. Or serious conversations. Or sensible conversations, now that he thought about it. Regardless, it wasn't really that big of a deal, and Hall quickly began nibbling on some dried fish sticks.

"... Traitor!"

Only to be met with derision by Ruby. Thankfully, there was no silly weapon flourish, but the hooded leader still managed to cast an accusing finger at the Hall monitor. "I thought we agreed that cookies were the best snack food!"

And at the back of the group, a certain suspicious myrmidon could only bring a hand up to her face in exhaustion.

* * *

"So. Err. Miss Kali..." Jaune began fumbling with his words, not quite sure what to make of his new 'friend'. She seemed carefree, kind of like Nora, but with a more serious tone. Or reserved tone? Either way, that part of her reminded the young Arc of Ren.

"Please, just Kali's fine!" The female Knight smiled at her companion, humming some forgotten tune as she drifted behind Jaune.

Yes, drifted.

Jaune Arc was slow, but he wasn't _that_ slow. It only took a minute or so of mindless staring, then three more minutes of incoherently babbling out questions for the blonde swordsman to accept that his new companion was a ghost. Or that he had taken some head trauma during the flight. Both worked, really, and Jaune resolved himself to not ask questions until he was back in Beacon, where he could be safely examined in the infirmary.

"Okay then... Kali..."

"Yes?" The ghost of the young woman had an air of innocence around her, and Jaune couldn't help but wonder why she was no longer among the living. He also wondered why he accepted the whole ghost thing easily, but ever since the induction of a certain Hall monitor, the blonde had decided to keep an open mind about such things.

"What were you doing out here?" To say the swordsman was confused would be an understatement. He couldn't even begin to question why a ghost was dwelling in Beacon's back yard. Assuming it was a ghost and not something else entirely.

"That's... something I can't really answer." Her blue eyes, mirroring Jaune's own, turned away from the young man, as the Knight bit at her lip. A complex look appeared on her face, and she struggled to try and find the right words to describe her predicament. "... I'm just not sure, you know? One day, I just... was."

It didn't really answer his questions, but Jaune knew well enough that he shouldn't pry. The young woman seemed to have her own problems, and Jaune didn't want to force her. "Oh. Err... I'm sorry for pushing it. I've never really been that... good with these things. B-but if you do remember something, you're always free to share, okay? N-not that you have to, of course!"

Even the ghostly knight couldn't help but put on a small smile as she watched the swordsman's innocent expression. While Kali could recognize that confident speeches was not this young boy's strong suit, he certainly still tried, and she just didn't have the heart in her to do anything but smile and nod.

"I appreciate that, Mr. Jaune." Her view shifted from Jaune's blushing face to the rest of his equipment, and she couldn't help but marvel at his equipment. Well, some of them, at least; His armour and outfit weren't anything special, but the shield and blade that he held were truly wondrous artifacts. The only types of people she knew who held those weapons were...

The Ghost's expression darkened for just a moment. "... Are you an aspiring Crusader, by any chance?"

"A what now?" That question was something unexpected, and Jaune had no idea what she meant. Yet, even he could see her expression fall as she asked the question, only to return to the same cheerful smile once he voiced his confusion.

"No, nothing. Don't worry about it. Then I assume you're training to be a Knight?" This time, her voice had a bit more delight to its tone. Unfortunately, Jaune had no idea what that meant either. Surely she didn't mean those fairy tale knights? Sure, they were an inspiration to his character, and one of the many reasons why he chose his goal, but it's not like he could actually be a knight.

"Actually... I'm training to be a Huntsman. You know? To protect the innocent from the creatures of grimm."

This confused the ghostly Knight, as the unfamiliar terms gave her pause. Huntsmen seemed nothing like hunters, if his equipment were any indication, and she had never heard of grimm before. However, she understood the sentiment of protecting the innocent, so that really only left one important question. "What are creatures of grimm, if I may ask?"

A twisted growl from the forest was her response. Both knights turned their attention to the trees, only to find countless crimson eyes staring back at them.

* * *

As Pyrrha Nikos pulled her hand away from her face, she couldn't help but throw a tired glance towards her teammates. Nora had taken it upon herself to join the strange conversation between the Hall monitor and most of Team RWBY, while Ren contented himself by staying closer to the rear of the group, along with herself and Weiss. It wasn't an ideal formation for their group, but she and her green teammate felt more comfortable when the entire group was within their sights.

At the moment, the group in question was debating the validity of... snacks. The main point of argument centered around the mysterious Hall monitor and Ruby, with Nora piping in every so often to chirp up something pancake related. Even Blake and Yang seemed to have some stake in the conversation, as the lady in black silently nodded at Hall's affirmations, while the blonde brawler cheered her little sister onward.

Granted, the redhead knew that she shouldn't let her guard down around the young man, but honestly, she just couldn't see the hall monitor as anything more than a chipper individual. Not unlike Ruby, really.

Of course, that little idea only sent Pyrrha into more confusion. The Hall before them was nothing like the one she had fought back in the initiation. Yet, they were the same person, and capable of the same feats of combat. What did this say about the man?

Honestly, Pyrrha didn't know. But before she could think on it further, one of the her associates took this opportunity to speak up, and the myrmidon turned her attention to the quiet voice.

"Hey Pyrrha..."

Weiss's voice was quiet, a far cry from her usually confident tone. It was rare that the heiress sounded this vulnerable, but truthfully, Pyrrha was glad that she had these moments. While her impressions of the heiress weren't the best early on, Pyrrha quickly learned that the lady in white cared just as much about her friends as much as she did; She just showed it in a more roundabout way. So, in the rare occasions when Weiss took on a more subtle tone, the redhead gladly lent an ear, and this time would be no different.

"Yes, Weiss?"

"What are your impressions on Hall?" It was a sensible question, and Pyrrha was honestly surprised that no one else had asked her earlier. And while she did admit the man was a functional teaching assistant, the redhead still had her doubts.

"I don't know... I'm worried about his motivations."

"What do you mean?"

Weiss's cautious expression turned to one of confusion. Which, in turn, brought a confused expression onto Pyrrha's face. Wasn't her friend asking about the hall monitor because she felt that he was suspicious? Why else would she be asking about him? ... For some reason, a sense of exasperation washed over Pyrrha, and she almost regretted answering Weiss's question. Yet, she had to figure out why Weiss was asking for her impressions.

"... Why do you want to know about my impressions, anyways?"

"Oh! Well. I was just wondering if... he'd be the sort of character who would hold grudges." Weiss turned away for a moment, her gaze shifting to the teammates in front of them. Specifically, to Ruby and Hall's little conversation. And, if we were to be very specific, a certain book in the hands of the little red leader. "I might've... disregarded his abilities when he said they were magic, but I was wondering if he was the type of person to hold that to account. Y-you know, if I were to ask for... instruction."

Pyrrha brought her hand to her face for the fourth time that day. Morning. It was still mor-

"Incoming grimm." Blake's voice suddenly sounded out, breaking the group's concentration, as well as Pyrrha's growing melancholy. At least Grimm were simple to deal with, and the group prepared their weapons.

* * *

"Ooh, let's see Hall's fancy explosion magic!"

Or not.

Nora stood at the forefront of the group, a silly smile on her face as she pointed at the teacher assistant. Honestly, she looked less prepared for a battle and more prepared for a show, which was unusual for the pink girl. Her warhammer was resting leisurely at her side, as she turned back to the rest of the group, face grinning with expectation. With that context, her inaction might've made sense, as watching magical fireworks in action for the first time wasn't something she usually got a chance to see, either.

"Now this, I wanna see." Yang smirked with equal enthusiasm, her arms crossed as she tossed an expectant look at the hall monitor. "Why don't you _teach_ us how it's done?"

Hall made a groan of annoyance, ignoring the blonde brawler entirely as he turned his attention to the pink hammerwielder. Honestly, he didn't know how to deal with the orange-haired valkyrie, mainly because she showed such outrageous enthusiasm. Her spontaneous nature was almost impossible to plan for, and the Scholar had almost no idea how to deal with it.

Almost.

"I've got a better idea... Why don't I make your explosions fancier?" At those words, Hall took out some dust. Sure, he could use his catalysts, but dust was more plentiful, and he honestly found himself growing more accustomed to using the resources of this world, as of late. "I can even make them fiery, freeze-y, or electric-y if you want."

He'd also noticed his speech diminishing to Ruby-levels of silliness as of late, as well.

But that was an observation for another time, as Nora quickly turned her gaze to her team, a pleading look in her eye as she pouted at Ren and Pyrrha. Her hands were brought up to her chest, clutching onto her warhammer with childish worry, as the massive weapon hung over her shoulders. It was a contrasting display of cute and terrifying, and it fit the bombastic valkyrie perfectly. "... Pleeeaaase?"

Surprising no one, Ren crumbled instantly, his face locked on Nora's for a record-breaking two seconds before he finally nodded. Seeing her teammate acknowledge the request, Pyrrha had no choice but to allow it as well, as she simply resolved herself to intervene in case Hall did something. She had no clue what the man had planned, and sent an inquisitive look to the members of Team RWBY, wondering if they could provide any insight.

But before she could ask any questions, a certain Weiss Schnee cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the rest of the group. "...Can you also augment my abilities for this next fight? I'm curious as to how your... magic... affects my glyphs."

"Sure, why not?" A noncommittal shrug was all the Hall monitor gave, taking out another vial of dust as he prepared his spell.

And just like that, it was invoked. There was no time for anyone to react, and Pyrrha feared the worst as a strange light consumed Nora and Weiss. Yet, her worry was replaced by... more worry, honestly. At least, if the expression of Nora was anything to go by.

Weiss looked fine, though her Myrtenaster was now gleaming with blue light. The heiress turned her weapon over, as if trying to figure out what the teacher assistant did. However, besides the telltale blue that surrounded her blade, the lady in white had no clue.

Nora, on the other hand, looked positively delighted. She gripped Magnhild tightly, her eyes taking in the yellow glow that now surrounded her weapon. Sure, it wasn't as pink as she'd like, but there was something else about it that fixed that little issue completely. It seemed that, unlike Weiss, the Valkyrie knew exactly what had happened to her warhammer.

But Pyrrha was not Nora, and she was worried about her friends. Her gaze turned to the Hall monitor, her confusion and doubt clearly visible as she spoke out. "What... did you do to them?"

Hall was in the middle of drawing a cookie from his pouch when Pyrrha asked her question. Pausing his motions, he turned to the young woman, giving her a shrug as he answered her without a second thought. "Gave Weiss's attacks elemental wat-... Wait, no. I used dust, so it's slightly modified. In that case... I gave Weiss attacks elemental Ice, and gave Nora's attacks elemental lightning."

The Scholar resumed eating his cookie, missing the expression of dread that was now Ren's face.


	36. To Be A Knight (1)

**Chapter 36**  
 **To Be A Knight (1)**

* * *

This was a bad idea.

Why, oh sweet gods _why_ , did he think this would end anything but terribly? Hall never even imagined that he'd be lamenting to the gods, since he'd never considered them to be anything more than a background concept before. But here he was now, confessing his sins to the gods of baked goods and tuna, trying to redeem himself for his irreparable mistake. Please accept this offering of strawberry, sugar and flour. Oh! And this dried tuna stick, too.

... Okay, he _really_ needed to find out why his mind's been more Ruby-esque as of late.

Though, to be fair, the situation did warrant a fair amount of panic. The Hall monitor was not exactly well acquainted with the little Valkyrie girl, and hadn't expected her to react the way she did. Which was surprising, since he had originally intended to investigate more on the girl's heritage, due to her namesake. Yet, circumstances meant he had scant time for research... But that was besides the point.

The point was that Nora was currently in some kind of terrible feedback loop. One that consisted of explosions and electricity.

If the Scholar had been asked to identify his first mistake, it would be that he forgot about the pink girl's Semblance. Or never knew it in the first place. Not that it mattered, since it didn't change the fact that the pink Valkyrie was currently smashing her hammer at anything that looked solid enough to take a hit. As well as anything that didn't, for that matter.

See, the problem first occurred when an unfortunate grimm found itself before the hammerwielder. Being the mindless monster that it was, it paid no attention to Nora's energetic grin, and charged headfirst at the girl. It was barely halfway into its first attack before it met the swing of a massive hammer. Of course, since Nora was Nora, this swing was backed by one of her many grenades, resulted in an explosive blast that consumed both the grimm, and everything in a 2-meter radius around the grimm, bathing everything in an electric sphere of... electricity.

The problem quickly became apparent when the group realized that Nora was in this sphere of electric death.

Hall's simple query of whether Nora was okay was quickly answered when Ren finally took the time to explain Nora's semblance to the hall monitor. The green gunman clearly outlined the effect of electricity on the orange-haired girl's combat capabilities, namely the positive effect that resulted in invigoration and heightened combat potential. And since the elemental enchantment bestowed on Nora merely augments her existing combat potential, the effects were ... compounded, if you were to summarize it in a single word.

If you were to be more liberal in your word choice, however, you'd make note that the immediate area was completely devoid of trees, as nothing more than scorching craters, broken stumps, destroyed earth, and shattered rock populated the artificial clearing. You'd also make note that the hammer-wielder was _more_ energetic than before her little rampage, which ended up encouraging more wanton destruction the moment more grimm arrived.

And yes, more did grimm arrived. Attracted by the sounds of battle and smashing, no doubt. And yes, they disappeared just as quickly. This little series of repeated events continued on for another few minutes, before the effects of the Scholar's enchantments finally faded away, an event that was clearly marked by a certain girl's disappointment.

"Aww... It's over..." Nora was clearly crestfallen, judging by her voice and downcast expression, her eyes fixed on her hammer. This was quickly replaced by an expression of anticipation and joy as she turned to her partner. "Can I go again, Renny?"

"Sorry Nora..." Having learned his lesson, Ren shook his head, exercising great willpower as he stood against the beady eyes of disappointment in Nora's face. And truly, his resilience was great, as he managed to last a whole five seconds before he finally took a step back from his position. "... Maybe next time?"

"Yaaay!"

Ignoring Nora's antics, Hall turned his attention to the rest of the group. It seemed that everyone was just as surprised as he was, as none of them had expected Nora to lash out in such an energetic manner. Sure, they knew that the pink girl was lively, but they weren't exactly aware of her semblance. If they were, one of them might've mentioned the problems inherent in giving Nora free a source of lightning.

A Lesson for another time.

"Well, that was certainly shocking, wasn't it?" The first to recover was Yang, as she immediately changed her expression to a playful grin, much to the ire of the rest of her team. The blonde brawler scoffed at the collective groans of Ruby, Blake, and Weiss, turning her attention to her group. "What? It was an electrifying experience! Really eye-opening how she lit up our expectations!"

"Please just stop, Yang..." Ruby gave a tired sigh, no longer able to keep up with her sister's antics. Which was rare, but the older teen never went _this_ far with her puns before, so Ruby had an excuse. "... Why are you making so many puns, anyways?"

"Because I wanted to get supercharged too!" The older sibling shot back with a pout of her own, though it was less tormented and more teasing, as the blonde crossed her arms in mock irritation.

Meanwhile, Weiss Schnee had her arms crossed in genuine irritation. She never got a chance to use her elementally enhanced glyphs, purely because a high-speed Nora exploded any hapless Beowolf or Creep that approached. As a result, the only influence she had on the battle was a tired sigh, one that came out long after the enchantments faded away. She was tempted to voice her complaint, but thought better of it, and chose instead to make her way back to her spot in formation, settling down just in front of Pyrrha.

* * *

Incidentally, Pyrrha Nikos was now terrified of the Hall monitor, for completely different reasons than before.

If one were to say that Ren was the driving force necessary to control Nora's antics, one could also say that Hall was the equivalent, opposite force. Multiplied by seven. _It was the pancake incident all over again_.

...It took a moment for the redhead to calm herself down, but she eventually managed to steady her thoughts. The initial conflict had long since passed, and by the time she was capable of more critical thinking, her thoughts immediately went to what she had just witnessed. Again, the exact nature of the Hall monitor's intentions eluded her, but Pyrrha was a relatively decent judge of character, if she were to say so herself, and was somewhat skilled in reading facial expressions.

And she had a clear view of Hall's facial expressions the moment he had cast his spells, from his nonchalant acceptance of the request, to the surprise and regret that had replaced his face when Nora went... Nora. At the very least, Pyrrha had come to the conclusion that he had intended to fulfill the students' requests wholeheartedly, and was just as surprised as they were at her teammate's antics.

Of course, a single instance didn't mean much, but it still helped. And it added to all the other times she had seen the hall monitor act... like a teacher assistant, really. Besides the initiation incident, he honestly hadn't tried anything. Maybe she was being a bit unfair?

Still, it was better to be cautious than not, especially if the rest of her friends had their guards down. The red warrior was nothing if not proper, and the proper attitude she should be taking in this situation was to prepare for the worst, even while hoping for better... But at the same time, she could afford to be a bit more lenient on her biases against the man.

By the time Pyrrha had settled her thoughts, the rest of the group had caught themselves as well. Nora was back to chatting with Ren, Blake was back to reading her book, and Yang was back to ... being Yang, really.

"C'mon Weiss! Don't be so cold!" The blonde smirked at her white-haired teammate, a playful grin on her face. It was a playful barb, one that Pyrrha had seen the brawler throw time and time again. And it was always one that always held mirth, never malice. "Then again, I guess you never got the chance this time. Guess magic really doesn't exist."

"Do you have to keep bringing that up?" Despite her annoyance, the heiress merely scoffed at the rest of her teammate's words, not really paying them any mind. And the look in Weiss's eyes told the redhead that there was never any real aggression in her words, either. Just as was the case with Yang, the lady in white's words never held any ill will, even if they were a bit rougher around the edges. "You're just upset because you didn't ask."

"Naah, why would I be jealous of that? I'll just ask next time around!" And with a grin, the blonde turned her attention to the remaining member of Team RWBY. "Blake's the one who's all jealous, trying to hide behind a book."

"Keep me out of your arguments, please."

Blake Belladonna. She was another person that Pyrrha couldn't quite get a read on. Not the same mystery as Hall by any means, but the black-haired girl still kept to herself, choosing to listen to conversation rather than participate. But while she was quiet, the young woman still held her friends dear, and that was something Pyrrha could plainly see.

"Since it's not hard to see that you _are_ jealous."

With that said, Blake still had a playful side to her that she sometimes showed to her friends.

Yes, friends. The red warrior really didn't know how to describe them, but she was glad to have them all the same. It had only been a month, but the Mistrali champion did not regret her entrance into Beacon one bit. Which was why she resolved herself to remain vigilant, even in spite of the Hall monitor's light mood.

His light mood as he happily munched cookies alongside Ruby.

With a soft smile, she followed the group deeper into the forest.

* * *

"What sort of creature is that?"

Kali's inquisitive voice was in stark contrast to Jaune's panicked tone. The ghostly Khalitzburg kept her vision trained on the mysterious newcomer, idly wondering what sort of bear would go out of its way to make a mask, then prowl forests with it. She floated near the beast, waving her transparent hand by its face, only to pull back as the Ursa snapped at her.

"A rude one, apparently..."

"U-uh... Kali? I think we should probably leave..." Jaune had drawn Crocea Mors, gripping his shield intently as he kept one eye on the massive Ursa. The grimm before him was certainly old, but not quite old enough to attain 'Major' status. And while it lacked the bone quills found in its aged brethren, it had plenty of plates to make up for it, as its entire front arms were coated in the grimm's signature material. The blonde swordsman didn't spend much time thinking on this odd feature, as he noticed the crimson eyes of his enemy shifting away from the ghost, falling on the unfortunate Arc.

The young man stood still, trying to steady his arm as he tightened his grip on his heater shield. At the same time, he shifted his posture, one foot forward as he tried to remember how he was supposed to balance himself. It was an old stance, one that he hadn't quite hammered out yet, but it'd have to do for the battle. His other hand held the blade of Crocea Mors, gleaming in the sunlight, threatening to lash out at the enemy before him.

He might've even deluded himself to thinking it was impressive, if Jaune didn't feel the eyes of a certain Knight on him.

Kali had floated back beside the young Arc, and after giving the bear monster a few more cursory glances, shifted her attention to the blonde. She didn't say anything, but even Jaune could see that the ghostly warrior had some things on her mind when her gaze flickered from his feet to his shoulders. The fact that it was the same appraising look often thrown at him by Pyrrha, Ms. Goodwitch, and Yang did little to ease his inner turmoil.

Which was a shame, because the Ursa chose this moment to attack, suddenly darting forward as it raised one of its plated arm, ready to attack. Jaune quickly snapped his attention back to the Ursa, steadying himself as he prepared to take the blow head-on.

Turns out, that was a bad idea, as the Ursa had more than enough strength to knock the teenager back, sending him sprawling onto his back with a single blow. His shield meant that he only took the raw force of the attack, rather than the claws that came with it, and his aura ensured that he didn't take too much damage from the subsequent fall. Yet, he couldn't remain on the ground, and Jaune quickly crawled up to his feet as he lunged to the side, just in time to avoid another vertical slam from the Ursa.

The swordsman knew that staying on the defensive wasn't an option. As he clamoured up to his feet, Jaune swung at the Ursa's arm, hoping to inflict some damage against the beast. Yet, his swing was not controlled, and the blade could only give the monster a shallow cut, sending it further into a murder-fueled rage.

This time, the Ursa slammed both arms down against the ground, the sheer force of the strike echoing through the earth. It wasn't enough to knock the boy off his feet, but the sudden shift in soil still meant that Jaune had to put in effort as he tried to steady himself.

Which was why the bear chose to tackle the blonde immediately afterwards, its forearms already in position to propel itself forward.

Jaune let out a pained cry as his back slammed against a tree, his armour still managing to shield him from some of the damage. Yet, neither steel nor aura could mask the pain that shot through him, as one of the branches jabbed against his shoulder, finding a spot that his armour did not cover. He didn't have the luxury of wincing, however, as the bear continued it assault.

Adrenaline fueled his motions as Jaune forced himself back onto his feet, diving to the side, feeling the air rush beside him as the massive grimm slammed into the tree that had caught the young huntsman-in-training mere moments ago. And Jaune struck once more, this time thrusting his blade against the Ursa's side.

His motions this time were solid, but there simply wasn't enough strength behind his attack, and Jaune struggled to pull his weapon free as the Ursa reared back in pain once more. It took a few moments for the blonde to finally free his weapon, and that gave the bear enough time to bring its uninjured arm forward, a horizontal swipe clashing against the blonde's exposed side.

Once again, he was launched back, this time skidding against the ground as he collapsed on the dirt. But before the swordsman could pull himself up again, he saw a figure step between him and the bear.

"... I'm sorry, Mr. Jaune. But I can't stand by and watch this any longer. I shall take care of your foe."

Kali took a stance, one hand reaching to her side as she drew her blade, an ornate rapier that was as translucent as the ghostly knight. Her blue eyes narrowed as she fixed upon her foe, no longer holding back as she gripped her blade. It was the posture of an experienced fighter, and the young Arc realized how little he truly knew about swordsmanship. Yet, he could say nothing as Kali lined her rapier up with the black bear monster, wasting no motions as she paused for just a moment, the very air heavy with anticipation.

Even the Ursa took a step backwards, barely able to let out a growl as it recognized the new threat.

And just like that, the Knight charged forward. Jaune only watched, not even bothering to pick himself up from the ground, unable to do anything but watch helplessly as the ghost woman joined the battle.

All he could do was clench his fist in frustration.


	37. To Be A Knight (2)

**Chapter 37**  
 **To Be A Knight (2)**

* * *

"Hi-yah!"

Yang Xiao Long wasn't one to vocalize every attack she made, but she also wasn't one to abstain from it the action, either. It was fun to let loose on grimm, especially since they were supposed to be having their sparring class at the moment. A class she was looking forward to, namely because she wanted to see how she fared against her classmates; Pyrrha just got lucky last time! So yeah, she was a bit disappointed to hear that Ruby had volunteered them to help find Jaune, but the extra grimm in the woods made up for it.

As did the fancy dust magic that the Hall monitor gave them. She still wasn't quite sure how it worked, and Ruby had been hogging the magic book all morning, so it wasn't exactly something she could look up. But honestly, Yang didn't care too much about that part, and was content in simply punching flaming shotgun shells at her enemies.

Such as this Ursa that had stumbled upon them.

Another explosion rang out as she charged forward, the boost from Ember Celica magnified by elemental fire, leaving a charred ring of dirt in her wake as she sped towards her target. The Ursa, to its credit, didn't seem too surprised by this, raising up its claw in preparation for the blonde brawler's attack. Unfortunately for the beast of grimm, it was far outclassed, and three solid hits against its arm were more than enough to fend off its attempted attack. Not that Yang stopped there, of course.

Just as the Ursa staggered backwards, Yang fired off a concussive blast, powered by flame as it tore through the air, exploding against the lesser grimm's hide. The few plates of bone that this young monster had were no match for the blaze, and did little to protect it as the Ursa yelled out in pain and anger.

And that was its last mistake, as it gave the blonde beauty her opening. Dashing forward once again, Yang's explosive charge closed the distance almost instantly, as her fist shot up at the creature's head. And, in a single strike, it was... stunned.

Huh. Looks like the fancy magic wore off again. Too bad it didn't last longer... Oh well. The brawler didn't think too much of it, and simply finished off the Ursa with a final blast, her weapon unleashing painful shells of buckshot into the beast. A cloud of grimmsmoke signaled its demise, and she happily turned back to the rest of the group.

"So? How about it? Was I _hot_ or what?" The huntress-in-training shot a playful grin to the rest of the group, earning her a collective sigh in return, as she waited for the rest of them to catch up.

"That was pretty bad, even for you." Blake quickly chirped up at her partner, giving the girl a slight smile before turning back to her book. Of course, Yang caught that smile, a rare expression from her partner that seemed to be growing more and more common these days. Honestly, the blonde was glad that her team was slowly opening up, both to each other and to her sister. "But at least you didn't go overboard with the magic, like Ruby."

Kind of like that, really.

"H-Hey! It's not like I'm only one who enjoyed it!" Ruby pouted at her teammates, cheeks puffing as she crossed her arms. Not that Yang blamed her for her enthusiasm, since her sister was always fond of being so... energetic. Coupled with the magic wind thing that Hall had used on her, and that made for a very hyperactive Ruby.

"No, but you were the only one who dashed into a tree on your first try." And, of course, Yang wasn't above teasing her sister, as she gave the girl a playful poke on her shoulder. "Not even Nora did that."

"That's because Nora got rid of all the trees!"

Yang waved off her sister's protests, making an exaggerated gesture of turning away as she waved her hand at the air. "Okay, okay. I'll give you that. Still, you should be more careful."

"... I wonder how Blake will react."

Now there's a question. Ruby's idle musings certainly got Yang's attention, and the blonde quickly turned her gaze to her black-haired partner. Would she try to act all calm and collected, like Weiss and Ren had? Or would she go all out with it, like Nora and Ruby? Heck, even Pyrrha was pleasantly surprised by the sudden magic, though she was probably just glad that it sped up their progress.

Speaking of progress, how far did that locker land?

* * *

Jaune did his best to pay attention to the fight.

Yet, there was something disheartening when you realize that the ghost of a Knight was somehow better at dealing with grimm than you were. Not that he was discounting Kali's very apparent skill, but... Weren't ghosts intangible? How was she still able to slash at the Ursa?

To some, this line of thought may seem trivial, but it was crucial to the Arc; his mind would wander if it didn't stay focused on the scene before him. He _knew_ how worthless he was in this situation. Heck, if it wasn't for Kali, he probably would've joined her as a ghost... He was not prepared at all for the Ursa, and his amateur motions weren't nearly enough to deal with the threat. And this was something he was _supposed_ to be prepared for.

What a joke.

The blonde swordsman couldn't help but let out a sigh, his attention turning back to the female knight. Unlike him, Kali's motions were much more precise, easily dodging away from the black grimm, wasting very little with her movements. Shift her body this way to avoid a swipe, or a step to the side that way to position herself away from a lunge. Followed it up with a single slash downwards, a clean retaliation.

The few motions she made were clear and decisive, and the Ursa clearly suffered from her numerous blows.

And they certainly were numerous. Kali stepped forward once more, her weapon darting out as another flash faded steel marked an attack, catching the grimm's forearm between the plates. A clean strike, and while the ethereal weapon didn't do much on its own, it still made a noticeable gash against the black fur. And that gash was nothing to scoff at when five more cuts followed the first, each precisely placed between the thick bone plates.

The Ursa was forced back, the ghost maiden's relentless assault keeping it on the defensive, unable to find the opportunity to bring forth its total strength. Instead, it could only ward off blows with an arm, or a snap of its jaws, while its other forearm lashed out haphazardly. A mistake, as the Knight drove her rapier forward, the blade sliding into the masked beast's shoulder, forcing the Ursa backwards once more as it let out an angry snarl.

These were motions that Jaune couldn't hope to replicate. He couldn't imagine himself ever using a rapier, especially not in the way that the Knight had; She was made the impossible seem possible, as she slashed out the thrusting weapon as cleanly as he did, accomplishing far more than he could hope for with Crocea Mors. Did it have something to do with her weapon being a ghostly sword? Or was he truly that incompetent, that the difference in weapon type didn't matter?

He shook his head, letting his mind wander once more as he tried to ignore those straggling thoughts. Jaune's eyes fell on Kali's armour, the blue plate with gold trim, pale and translucent, yet clear and distinctive in their own way, as her immaculate armour clearly outlined her slender form. He stopped himself before his teenage mind went further, knowing full well that grimm-infested woods were no place for hormones. Instead, he shifted his attention to her blade, catching sight of it just in time to see the metal shift to gleaming a bright red.

Wait. Bright red?

And just as that thought entered his mind, Kali drove her rapier downwards, causing an explosion of flame to shoot out from the base of her feet. A shockwave burst forth, catching both the grimm and Jaune unawares, and while he was perfectly fine, the sudden wave of heat lashed out at the Ursa. It tried to bring its own attack to bear, roaring instinctively at the sudden blaze, swiping at heated air.

It was awarded for its actions with a rapier to its eye.

Another angry snarl, another furious roar, but the Ursa could do nothing but screech out as Kali pressed the assault. Her stance shifted dramatically, no longer striking with counter-attacks alone, as her steps became more focused and directed. Now, she advanced on the bear, slashing at its weak points, her sword glowing white as she drove her rapier into its other eye. Then its open mouth. Then its throat, then shoulder, then neck. Then three more places, withdrawing her rapier each time, only to thrust it outwards once more in a lightning-fast motion.

Jaune was stunned.

He had no idea if this was honestly the proper way to use the blade, but he was simply too awestruck to care; within the span of two seconds, the ghostly maiden had struck out eight times at the grimm, all at critical points of its monstrous body. And while Jaune was humbled by the sight, the Ursa did not even have that luxury as it collapsed on the ground, dying in a wisp of black smoke, not even knowing _how_ it had been felled.

There was a silent pause in the forest clearing, as Jaune's gaze turned to the Knight.

Kali, for her part, merely watched the creature's corpse fade into a black dust, following the smoke until it disappeared into the air. A few more seconds pass, before she turned around to face her companion. And, just like that, she reverted from being a serious warrior to a curious ghost, her face softening as she gave the teen a playful smile.

"So... Shall we get going, Mr. Jaune?"

* * *

Ozpin furrowed his brow.

Not for anything the students had done, mind you.

Honestly, his current expression wasn't due to anything any related to the children under his tutelage, nor had it been the result of the Hall monitor's antics. Sure, he did have some misgivings about his interactions with Team RWBY and (J)NPR, but certainly not enough to frown upon. Even the mysterious ghost girl was unrelated to the reasons why the Headmaster of Beacon had adopted an unsatisfactory expression.

No. The reasons for his current mood was because, at this very moment, Glynda Goodwitch was staring over his shoulder with a glare fixed on her face.

Ordinarily, this wouldn't be a problem. However, Ozpin had just been watching the little skirmish that Jaune and his ghostly lady friend had with the Ursa. And while the Headmaster had his reasons for allowing the young Arc into the academy, his associate didn't necessarily agree.

"Surely, you understand my position Ozpin." Glynda straightened her posture, pushing at the bridge of her glasses as she stared at the older man. "If Mr. Arc did not have the fortune to meet this... benefactor of his, then he would've been injured by the ordeal, likely permanently. Even if Hall and the students were close by," Glynda turned her attention to two other video feeds, showing the position of the rescue party relative to the crashed rocket locker, "there was no guarantee that Mr. Arc would've been able to survive the encounter."

"... I understand your concerns, Glynda, but I stand by my decision." And stand by it he did. Ozpin knew that, even if there hadn't been ghostly intervention, the young boy would've been perfectly safe. Well, not perfectly, but few things were perfect in this line of work. Still, the Ursa itself was underdeveloped, and despite their enthusiasms, the rescue group was still well within ear-shot. They would've stumbled upon each other before the worst would've happened.

Honestly, he was surprised that the two groups hadn't stumbled on each other already, but both parties had been subject to grimm encounters. An unusual amount of grimm encounters, maybe, but Ozpin knew that these were merely the stragglers from the horde earlier this month. Really, he was certain that an Ursa wouldn't have even attacked the Arc, were it not for the actions of the Scholar. Even now, Hall's antics were causing them no small trouble.

Ozpin let out a tired sigh.

However, Glynda was not privy to the inner workings of the Headmaster's mind, and gave the headmaster a chiding glare. "Please do not discount my worries so readily, Ozpin. You and I both know that Mr. Arc has performed less than adequately, at least from someone of his qualifications. I'm only pushing this issue because it I am concerned for his well-being."

"Again, I understand your position, but Mr. Arc has still performed at an acceptable level. And at the same time, it is his choice whether or not he wishes to pursue further assistance with his deficiencies." Ozpin's gaze shifted as he turned away from the security feed, glancing up to his colleague. "With any luck, this little adventure will push the young man to seek such assistance. However, even if he doesn't, as long as he continues to grow in his own way, we must respect his decision."

The headmaster took his mug once more, taking a quick sip from it as he tried to settle his thoughts, eyes falling back on the camera feeds.

"After all, for children in their position, decisions are a dwindling luxury."

* * *

"Do you think Jaune is okay?" Pyrrha's voice was heavy with concern as the group continued on.

They had been in these woods for most of the morning, and the sheer number of grimm they had encountered left the redhead feeling uneasy. They had just finished off another encounter, a moderately sized group of Beowolves. It was nothing they couldn't handle, of course, but the numbers were far higher than what she remembered, back when they were in this forest for their initiation exam.

Then again, that was before the whole... incident. Before the sudden appearance of more grimm. Were these grimm stragglers from nearly a month ago?

"I'm sure Jauney's fine." Nora's chipper voice quickly tore the girl from her thoughts. Unlike Pyrrha, the pink girl seemed completely unfazed by their leader's potential predicament. "He's always good at planning things, and he hasn't been doing thaaat badly in combat class."

Nora nodded to herself at that second statement, and Pyrrha couldn't help but agree. After all, while Jaune was a bit rough around the edges, and not quite there in some of his forms, he was constantly being called on to demonstrate things. This meant that, at the very least, their leader had some practice. At the same time, she wasn't sure if it was enough. And while she wouldn't diminish his accomplishments, she knew that there was plenty of room for improvement.

"I suppose you're right... But he's also been struggling in some areas. I wish he'd ask us for help." It was one thing she had noticed with her partner: He would accept some assistance, but never too much. Instead, he'd always try to finish the rest himself, and it was rare for him to seek out their help unless it was something that affected all of them. She still didn't understand why, but-

"Don't worry." Ren spoke up this time, taking his place beside his energetic partner as he turned to Pyrrha. Like his partner, he did a good job of distracting the redhead from her thoughts, though it was an action she was thankful for. "I'm sure Jaune understands his limits. If he needs our help, he'll ask us in time, and we'll be there to support him."

Sure, her teammates' words weren't enough to completely dispel Pyrrha's concerns, but... they helped. The redhead gave the two a grateful smile, giving out a quiet nod of understanding. She'd believe in Jaune for now. He was their leader, after all, and despite all of his potential shortcomings, he still meant well. Finally putting those thoughts to rest, the Mistrali champion turned her attention to the rest of the group.

And it seemed like the rest of the group were having their own little concerns.

Well, Blake Belladonna in particular.

That last encounter had been Blake's first attempt at using the elemental enchantments, and she was pleasantly surprised by its effectiveness. Wreathed in fire, her shadow clones adopted some of the effects, dashing forward with burning blades of their own, before dispelling in a flash of fire and ash. It was... different. Not only that, but she could also swear that the magic had an effect on her strikes, giving them more power than usual. Overall, it was certainly a new experience to fight under those condition.

Her natural curiosity got the better of her, and after the conflict, she turned to the Hall monitor to request another enchantment. She had figured that by itself was an innocuous request, but a voice of displeasure from her partner quickly dispelled that notion.

"... May I see how ice affects me next?"

"C'mon Blake! Give us a turn, too!" Her partner's voice was far from quiet, and Blake couldn't help but send the blonde a curious look.

"Didn't you already have your turn, though?"

"Yeah, but... There's an order to things! You just got your enchantment, so it should be Weiss's or Ruby's turn next!" Yang was persistent, and Blake was just about to respond before their Hall monitor friend decided to speak out.

"Actually, I'd like to save my dust in case of emergencies. We've used a fair amount, and I'd like to have some on hand in case something serious occurs."

And just like that, the magic disappeared. Of course, from an objective point of view, it made sense. There was no reason to consume supplies at the rate they had, especially with their threats being nothing more than lesser grimm. Honestly, their entire antics thus far, from a purely analytical point of view, were an inefficient waste of resources. And if Blake thought like that, she would've left it alone without a second thought.

But Blake didn't. She was the type of person to lose herself in books, and just like the rest of her team, the idea of magic had captivated her. Sure, she still understood the necessity of having to save supplies, and she knew that having something on-hand during emergencies was important... But she was still allowed to feel a little disappointed by things.

So, for a few short moments, she allowed herself that feeling. Those moments quickly passed, however, and she reluctantly turned her attention back to her books. But before she could fully settle in on her next bit of reading, a new voice sounded out. One belonging to the very person they were sent out here to find.

"O-oh. Hey guys!" Jaune Arc stepped out from the treeline, not expecting to stumble on the group, just as surprised as they were if his face was any indication. However, surprise quickly faded into curiosity, as eyes fell on Jaune's companion.

"Jaune? Who is this?"

And the most curious of all, was a certain partner named Pyrrha Nikos.

* * *

 _ **A/N** : Sorry for the huge delay in update. However, things should stabilize now, so yay for that._


	38. To Be A Knight (3)

**Chapter 38**  
 **To Be A Knight (3)**

* * *

Jaune was honestly surprised to see his friends and teammates gathered here. Granted, he had expected someone to retrieve him after Cardin sent him... flying, but the young swordsman assumed that it would've been some member of the staff who retrieved him. After all, the rocket locker was still part of school property, so it made sense for someone official to come. Instead, he saw the Team RWBY, his own team, and the Hall monitor.

Not that he was complaining. He was much more comfortable trying to explain his ghostly companion to his friends (and a staff member who looked his age), rather than one of his teachers. Or worse, some intimidating teacher or security staff that he didn't know. So Jaune counted his blessings, turning his attention away from his thoughts as he focused on the group.

"Oh, her name's Kali." The young Arc responded to his partner's question, quickly easing into the introduction. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and it took him a moment to figure out how to properly explain the next part. "She's... uh... A ghost."

Not that those moments were enough to prepare anyone for that statement. And, of course, his his words were met with silence, at least from his team. And he really didn't blame them, to be honest.

Now that he was no longer in immediate danger, the blonde swordsman's mind caught up with him. It was an odd position to be in, and the huntsman-in-training began to understood the magnitude of his words. After all, now that he was no longer under the threat of being eaten by an Ursa, he too found it odd that, immediately after landing in his rocket locker, he had met up with Kali. Who was a ghost. Yet, part of his mind had already accepted that fact, so he didn't dwell on it.

"Huh. Is that so?" Hall was the only one who seemed unperturbed by the sudden revelation, and his stance matched his noncommittal tone, his shoulders slouched as he gave a single glance at the ghostly Knight.

Again, Jaune didn't know what to think of the Hall monitor, who seemed to swap between so many different personalities at a given time. He was serious and no-nonsense when dealing with anything remotely academic, but at the same time, he could be just as chaotic as Ruby was. There were also times where he acted in-between, usually in Port's class, and he could swear that there was still more to the man. But, at the moment, it seemed that chaotic was the right word, as Hall didn't really seem to be too serio-

"Wait, what're you doing?" Weiss's voice interrupted the swordsman's thoughts, as well as the stunned silence that fell on the rest of the group. They finally noticed that Hall was glowing, gradually gathering his Aura for some reason or another. But, before anyone could question him, it stopped.

No one had time to react as the power unleashed itself. Within moments, a transparent flame formed in the air, slowly circling around the robed teaching assistant.

And nothing happened. Huh.

"Um... What is that?" Pyrrha was the first to speak up, having readied herself in a combat stance. However, once she realized that nothing else was going to happen, she gave an awkward pause, before slowly sheathing her weapon. Jaune couldn't help but smile at that; He was thankful that she was such a good partner, since she was always on top of things, but she also these moments where she was caught off-guard.

"Just a simple spell. Spots illusions and hidden stuff." Hall quickly waved off Pyrrha's question, his voice gradually shifting back to a more serious tone. Well, not serious, but less relaxed. Maybe? Jaune was never that good at reading people. "I wanted to ensure that there was nothing else here besides your leader's new friend."

"Oh." That explanation was enough to give the redhead warrior some pause, as her gaze shifted over to Kali, then back to the Hall monitor. "... So what did you find out?"

"She's a ghost."

Another non-committal shrug. That was all that was needed to convince Jaune that he would never be able to get a read on people. At least, not this person. So, rather than try, the blonde swordsman let out a tired sigh, as did the rest of the group. The two teams gave Hall an odd look, before finally settling back to matters at hand.

"A ghost, huh?... Can she understand us?" Nora, ever the inquisitive one, spoke up next, her green eyes first looking at Jaune, before turning away as they settled down on the ghost before them. Jaune could see the playful curiosity from here, and honestly, he was surprised that she were taking the sudden meeting so well. Of course, with Nora being Nora, Jaune _wasn't_ surprised to find that his teammate didn't bother waiting for his answer. Instead, she chose to shout out with a hearty wave.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Nora, and this is Renny!"

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Nora, Mr. Renny. Again, I am Kali." Kali, for the most part, smiled back at the exuberant youth, chuckling at her enthusiasm. The ghostly Knight turned to face the Valkyrie proper, as she gave the young woman a light bow, returning her greetings. "And to answer your question, yes. I can understand you all just fine."

"Ooo! She's all formal and stuff. Kinda like you, Ren!"

Ren tried to ignore his partner's statement, giving her a soft smile before settling his gaze on the ghost. Of course, he immediately proved Nora right when he returned the bow, his voice soft as he spoke out. "Nice to meet you too, Ms. Kali. And, for the record, my name's Ren. Nora's just a bit too energetic with mannerisms."

"Oh, I understand, and I apologize for the error, Mr. Ren." And with that, the ghostly Knight turned to the rest of the group, a polite smile on her face as she regarded the rest of the group. "And it's a pleasure to meet you all as well. May I ask your names?"

* * *

"They're certainly getting along nicely." Ozpin's voice was almost cheery as he focused on the security feed.

That was a fact that Glynda Goodwitch did not miss. Honestly, she was surprised how calmly her associate was taking this situation.

Though, to be fair, she was equally surprised by her own state of mind. It only took her thoughts a few moments to go from truly recognizing the ghost girl as a ghost, to accepting it. Usually, that sort of revelation would be accompanied by a whole slew of questions, as well as skepticism and concern. However, even Glynda found herself far less Perhaps it was simply due to the fact that this first month was already so far beyond the norm. One more oddity wouldn't look that out of place.

So, rather than treat the deceased Knight as an anomaly, Glynda instead chose to view her as a stranger. And in that light, the ghostly woman was certainly a character. Though it may have been due to her condition, the Knight still chose to assist Mr. Arc with his troubles in the Emerald Forest, which was a positive first impression for the female teacher.

Of course, first impressions are hardly a suitable replacement for knowing someone, which was why she was now examining the girl with far more scrutiny, watching as she interacted with Team RWBY and JNPR. And, just as Ozpin had said, they were getting along with one another.

The Knight was reserved, but still readily received any questions directed to her... Even if her answers weren't too specific. It seemed that the young lady had no meaningful recollection of her existence before meeting up with the young Arc, and any questions about her past or purpose was met with a simple "I don't know". Ordinarily, this would be suspicious, but if their unknown guest truly was a ghost, it wouldn't be unreasonable.

This simply meant that Glynda would have to have a word with the Knight as well. That in itself would be a chore, as a ghost would be far more troublesome to explain away than a simple Scholar. The moment this thought crossed the teacher's mind, she turned her gaze to Ozpin, only to find a mirthful smile on his face. One that told her exactly what he had in mind.

"... I suppose you'll be wanting to handle this, Glynda?"

That was one way for him to phrase it. Of course, the meaning of the question wasn't lost on Glynda, and she knew that it was simply another way of asking her to deal with it. Granted, it was something she had intended to resolve, but it wouldn't hurt Ozpin to at least pretend to assist, would it?

Glynda let out a sigh, before giving the man a nod, adjusting her glasses once more. "Yes, it'd be best to ensure that this situation is handled appropriately. Shall I go retrieve them now?"

"No, not yet."

That was hardly surprising. The female teacher turned to face Ozpin, about to voice her concerns once more before she noticed that the headmaster's attention had shifted. Rather than simply observing the students, he was not browsing through the rest of the forest cameras. She wasn't too sure what he was looking for, as the images flickered from empty trees to clearings to the occassional grimm.

Glynda watched as Ozpin cycled through the images a few more times, scanning through the woods as he tried to find something. Unfortunately, she had no idea what the headmaster was thinking. When the footage looped around to the picture of the crashed locker for the third time, the blonde teacher finally decided to speak out.

"... What are you doing, Ozpin?"

"Oh, just making sure that there are no surprises in the forest, this time." Ozpin's gaze turned away from the holodisplay, leaning back in his desk as he took another sip from his mug. "After all, Mr. Hall, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR were sent out here to retrieve Mr. Arc, as well as his equipment locker. "It would be irresponsible to direct them to this part of the woods without adequately examining the area, wouldn't you agree?"

The blonde instructor shook her head. Not because there wasn't merit in Ozpin's words, but because he had the audacity to say those words after everything he'd done this month. She let out a sigh, her gaze shifting back to the holodisplay, not even able to voice her protests. However, the image on the screen snapped her from her thoughts, as the camera recorded the abandoned rocket-propelled storage locker.

As well as its final moments, as it was crushed beneath the heel of a familiar Bloody Knight. Broken armour and all. Shimmering with the same intangibility as Jaune Arc's ghostly companion.

Glynda immediately sent a message to the Hall monitor.

"I'm glad you think so, too." Ozpin's voice was grave as he stared at the footage.

* * *

Hall was surprised.

Not because of the sudden appearance of the ghost, of course. The world of Rune-Midgard was no stranger to spirits, and the presence of one more spectre would hardly be enough to startle the Scholar. Nor was he particularly surprised by how quickly the rest of the huntsmen- and huntresses-in-training seemed to warm up to the ghost. Ruby was already asking about the Knight's weapon, her enthusiasm barely curbed by her older sister. At the same time, Weiss, Blake and Pyrrha were throwing curious glances at both the ghostly blonde Knight, and the not-so-ghostly blonde swordsman.

No. What surprised the Scholar was the fact that this particular ghost seemed... familiar. Not that he'd ever seen her face before, but the general stature and silhouette of the translucent woman stuck in his mind. What seemed to tug most at his memory was the woman's armour, light and minimum, but of a very familiar style. And yet, for all his efforts, the Scholar was unable to place this recognition anywhere in his memory.

Which was why he attempted to identify the ghost. First, he had invoked Sight, a simple spell that any Mage learned; its purpose was to tear down most illusions, things that attempted to hide from sight or mind. The spell itself took the form of a spiritual flame, circling around the caster as it shed an ethereal light, and that little orb of fire's soul purpose was to ignite anything that tried to Cloak or Hide.

However, the ball of flame found nothing, and the Scholar was left with nothing more than a fancy ornament. At least it was pretty to look at.

When that failed, he tried to invoke Sense, mostly to see if the figure before him was something from Rune-Midgard. After all, Kali was something the Scholar recognized, then it must've been related to his world.

And the results of this surprised him.

She was not an adventurer, for Sense had not failed. At the same time, what the spell told him was something unintelligible, a response that neither the monsters from Rune-Midgard, nor the Raydrics from last week, normally gave. Instead, it fed him the same garbled mess of fragmented information that he had received when he first tried to Sense something else.

The people of this world.

So why exactly was the ghost of a denizen of Remnant so familiar to him? Unfortunately, he had neither the resources nor the time to answer this, as a sudden noise tore Hall out of his thoughts. The echoing chime of his Scroll quickly suppressed the conversation around him, and both Team RWBY and JNPR, as well as their ghostly guest, stood silent.

"Hello?" Hall's voice was lax at first, but the immediately changed his tone when he saw who the caller was.

"Mr. Hall." Glynda Goodwitch stared back at the Scholar, and he could see the complicated expression on her face. More importantly, he recognized the background as the Headmaster's office, which meant that Ozpin wasn't too far behind. "I see that you have retrieved Mr. Arc, as well as an... associate of his. I'll speak more of that later, but for now, you are instructed to return to Beacon."

"... What about the locker?"

"The faculty shall handle that matter later. For now, you are to lead your group back to the Academy." The Scholar recognized the edge in the teacher's voice. Coupled with how quickly she dispensed the notion of retrieving the locker, and... they may be in trouble. Hall quickly slipped his hand into his pocket, retrieving some of his catalysts for easy access. If they were going to be in trouble, then the Scholar wanted to be ready for anything.

Should he prepare a Yggdrasil Seed? Hall pulled the item from his pouch for a split second, eyes focused on the tiny seed. Yet, it was only for a second, as he quickly pocketed it inside his pouch before shaking his head. No, that was completely out of the question. It might've been a potent healing item in Rune-Midgard, but its was obviously something _else_ here in Remnant.

"Understood." And that was that. He quickly turned to the rest of the group, knowing full well they had heard the conversation. Still, there was no harm in making an official declaration, just to be absolutely clear about their status.

"Just as you've all heard, now that we've retrieved Mr. Arc, we are to return to Beacon." The man glanced over each of the students in his charge, noting their expressions of curiosity and concern. Unfortunately, he couldn't provide a proper answer, and his voice shifted to a less formal tone. "... I don't know what they're worried about, but they're definitely worried about something. So, rather than giving any of you a chance to argue over it, we're heading back to the school. Any questions?"

Surprisingly, Kali was the one who raised her hand, and the entire group's eyes fell on her. She coughed a bit at the sudden attention, but still stood with her arm raised, a curious look in her eye.

"Yes, Kali?"

"Um... Who's Mr. Arc?"

"... That's Jaune's last name."

And whatever tension and worry the group might've felt was dissolved in an instant, as the ghost girl blushed in embarrassment. There was a lighthearted chuckle, both from the Knight as well as from the two teams, and no one else had anymore questions as they began the long trek back.

At least, no one had any questions they were willing to voice. And no one noticed Kali's worried expression as her eyes fell on the Hall monitor's mysterious pouch.

... It was strange.

Twisted, broken metal. Bloodied. Thick plates that covered its body, but, at the same time, it could feel its own presence cover the sheets of steel in return. No, not steel. Something else.

The armour... No, the man—was he male?—turned his attention away from the faded metal that wrapped around his form, gaze shifting to his hand. He clenched his grip, the ragged claws of his gauntlet digging into his armoured palm, and he felt the light sting of pain. An unfamiliar sensation. Yet a very familiar one.

What was he doing here?

The Ghost of the Bloody Knight tried to remember, but it could recall nothing. There was nothing in the scraps of its mind it could cling to, and it struggled against the empty forest for a moment longer.

Bloody Knight?

Something sparked, and the empty helmet where its crimson eyes were began to glow. It remembered something. A gnawing hunger, an oppressive shadow, a tearing voice. Its mind—His mind—had been broken once. Broken so utterly, that it had shambled for countless centuries, living among a shattered ruin, tied forever to unmarked graves. When did it start? When did it end?

It didn't matter. All that mattered was that it understood its place. He realized that he was simply the pieces left behind. But how? Why?

... No. It knew why. He knew why. Why he was no longer resting in peace, why he had been awoken from his unnatural slumber. And why he had been drawn to this place.

The Bloody Knight—no, the Royal Guardsman—was here for one reason.

The memory of a broken vow.

What the vow was, who had broken it, and who would be judged... All these questions escaped the Spectre. Yet, he knew he came to this place seeking answers. But where would he-

Fire flashed. No... Not fire, but something else entirely. Something that burned the ghost to its very core, threatening to wrench it out from itself. Then, just as quickly, the sensation disappeared, not even leaving behind ghostly embers.

But it didn't matter anymore. The Ghost was certain of one thing now: That he would find his answers. The helmet shifted its sights to where it felt the familiar burn. **That** direction.

It was there that he would find his answers.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** Again, I'm late with updates. Unfortunately, life's continuing to be a disturbance, so it'll take a while to stabilize. Apologies in advanced._


	39. To Be A Knight (4)

**Chapter 39**  
 **To Be A Knight (4)**

* * *

Kali couldn't help but keep her eyes on the one named Hall. There was something about the man that just seemed... unsettling. Not quite unnerving, but certainly a sensation that went far beyond 'odd'. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite sure what it was that gave her this impression.

For all intents and purposes, the young man was friendly, showing no signs of aggression or even suspicion at her presence. The little display he gave early was certainly startling, as the sudden build up of energy put everyone on edge. However, the man had promptly explained his actions, and quickly dropped the issue before anyone really had a chance to react. And the way he dropped it was so nonchalant that it left little chance of a confrontation.

Perhaps that's why the group started talking with her next. To be fair, she was a bit worried about how she'd introduce herself, given her current 'condition'. Introducing herself to a single swordsman who was lost and disorientated was one thing, but Kali had been a bit nervous about greeting an entire group of new faces. However, her worries had been quickly brushed aside by the group as they began chatting with her, easing into small talk as they accepted her without complaint.

They exchanged names, then started talking about themselves. Admittedly, she learned more about them than they did of her, for the ghostly Knight couldn't remember much about her past. This worried her, but rather than react negatively, she was surprised to see that they didn't seem to mind at all.

Instead, they tried to help out, as they began directing the discussion to the world around them, giving tidbits of information in hopes of jogging Kali's memory. Yet, everything they mentioned was completely foreign to the ghostly woman, from Kingdoms that ruled the land, to the grimm that plagued them.

Not that she didn't appreciate their efforts. On the contrary, she was happy to learn about the world, listening intently to the explanations and stories given to her by the group. Just as importantly, she was happy to watch _how_ they taught her, their mannerisms and posture each telling a story about them. The woman in the white dress, Weiss, held a very regal tone with her that reminded Kali of... something. Something positive, though, and the Knight enjoyed her lectures about the land, and about something called Dust.

Conversely, the young woman named Nora had a more energetic method of explaining the world, quickly going off into stories and tangents about the kinds of grimm that roam the land, as well as how she dealt with them. Her associate, a man garbed in green, often had to reign in some the more energetic explanations, providing a more leveled lecture in contrast Nora's statements.

Combined, the three were simply a joy to listen to, and it wasn't long before Kali had found herself in the middle of an impromptu history lesson.

But before she could learn about the Remnant's intricate past, something had interrupted their conversation. A sudden chime rang out, turning everyone's attention to the front of the group where Hall stood. She watched with curiosity as the man took out a black slab, poking at it before he began speaking with it. A quick explanation from Weiss informed the ghostly Knight that the device was called a Scroll, which served to facilitate communication. She also mentioned a bit more about the slab, probably some history or something, but unfortunately, Kali missed the rest of the explanation.

Her attention had been drawn elsewhere.

And the reason for that was because the Hall monitor pulled out... something from his pouch. Something that reminded the ghost of how unsettling Hall was. And just like the man that pulled it out, that mysterious item had the same alienating sensation that put her body on edge. Before she could question it, though, the man put the item back inside the pouch, and the sensation subsided, leaving the ghost girl confused, as her eyes fixed onto the man's pouch.

"Oh, don't worry about Hall-y! Holly?" Nora chimed up, having spotted Kali's lapse in attention. "He's a nice guy, even if he is an alien!"

This caused no small amount of confusion, and the ghostly Knight turned back to the girl in pink.

"I'm... sorry? He's a what?"

"An alien! Since he came from a different world, that means he's an alien." Nora paused for a bit, wondering if that sort of explanation was enough. "But don't worry! He's a nice alien, even if we had a little bit of a fight when he came in. A fight that we technically lost." The orange-haired huntress gave a exaggerated sigh, pouting for a bit before changing her expression to one of serious contemplation. The woman held this facade for a moment longer, before she leaned in to a low whisper. "Personally, I think he cheated. With his alien powers."

This drew a chuckle from the ghost girl, as well as snort that was less-than graceful for a Knight of her stature. That, in turn drew a giggle from Nora, and a smile from the rest of the group. Then, just as quickly as the Valkyrie's cheer started, it stopped, as the girl fixed her eyes on Kali, staring at the ghostly knight with a serious expression.

"Waaait..." The hammerwielder squinted her eyes, casting an appraising gaze on Kali. "If you're a ghost... does that mean you have ghost powers that can stop his cheating alien powers?"

Weiss sighed, Ren chuckled, and Nora gave the ghost an expectant look.

So, obviously, the proper response was to nod. Kali gave a smirk, trying to maintain a mysterious expression of aloofness for a few moments. "They're not exactly ghost powers, buuut... I guess you could say that. If swordsmanship is a ghost power."

"That's not a ghost power..." Obviously, Nora was not impressed, her head drooping as she gave an exaggerated pout. This broke Kali's mischievous smile, shifting it into a normal smile as the girl in pink turned her attention to her partner. "Reeeen! Kali's teasing me!"

"Well, if it's a ghost sword, it could be viewed as a ghost power."

Nora was in shock as her partner nodded matter-of-factually, her arm flying up to her chest in a theatrical display of woe and sadness. "No, not you too! I have been betraaaayed!"

And Kali gave another lighthearted giggle, watching the little scene play out between the two. Honestly, it had been a while since she had felt this way, and the warm atmosphere that hung over the group quickly pushed whatever reservations she had about Hall out of her mind. She still made a mental note to worry about it later, of course, but for now... She'd enjoy this.

For now, she was content to listen and chat as they continued making their way through the forest.

* * *

Ozpin frowned. An action that he had been doing a lot of, lately. But he had good reason to frown, this time.

After all, he had remained seated at his desk for the past hour, his focus fixed on the perimeter cameras, watching the journey of RWBY, JNPR, and the hall monitor. He listened to the conversations between the teenagers and the girls, watched the little seed of doubt that sprung in JNPR's leader. And while that would certainly be a problem, that was a problem for the team to deal with. So, understandably, that was not the reason why he was frowning.

Instead, the source of the Headmaster's mood stemmed from the other subject of observation. One camera was fixed squarely on the remaining ghost, the one that had forced Glynda to recall the hall monitor in the first place. The very reason why his close colleague was now making her way out to the Emerald Forest once again. He had kept the thing under surveillance, ready to notify the group at a moment's notice the minute it drew close enough to be a threat.

So, naturally, the man had watched the ghost's progress over the course of half an hour, observing it was it made its way through the forest, combating all manner of grimm. And it was this observation period that caused the man to frown.

It wasn't due to the fact that the ghost was growing more adept at fighting, nor was it due to the fact that less and less grimm were seeking it out. No, what truly drew Ozpin's attention was the simple fact that the ghost was _changing_.

Just to be sure, he opened another holo-display window, setting this particular feed to an image of the ghost when it had first arrived at the fallen locker. The display confirmed his thoughts, as it showed a single image of the ghostly opponent, a massive armour of blood and metal, gripping a serrated blade and a skull-emblazoned shield. It was a spitting image of the Bloody Knight that had dwelled in the Emerald Forest a short time ago.

However, the ghost that he was currently observing was anything but that. Gone was the blood that stained his armour, fading away to nothingness over the course of an hour, leaving behind a dull blue hue of neglected metal. And equally missing was the ominous skull shield, as the ghostly metal had long since folded back into something far more mundane. Even the ghost itself was different from before, simply an imposing figure of metal, rather than a towering behemoth of death.

So what had caused this shift? Honestly, the man had no answers for that, but he had a growing suspicion that this, like the many other events that had plagued the Emerald Forest, all had something to do with a certain Hall Monitor, indirectly or otherwise.

Which was why Ozpin was frowning at this very moment.

* * *

Closer.

It could feel that it was getting closer. Even as these wild animals tried to stop it, the Ghost of the Royal Guardsman pressed on, for it knew—for he knew he was getting closer to his goal.

The imposing figure brought his blade down, the straight edge of his weapon cleaving through his target in a single swing, slashing through one of the wolf creatures. Yet, two more replaced it, charging forth to avenge their fallen as the beasts lunged at the ghost.

Like its brethren, they fell, and ghost paid no mind as their corpses vanished into empty smoke.

Was he getting close? It had been some time since he felt the scorching light that drew him in this direction. Perhaps it had flickered and waned, or perhaps it knew he was coming, and tried to hide.

Why would it hide? What was it that he was even pursuing? Why couldn't he remember?

Yet, only silence answered him, the surrounding forest paying no heed to his dilemma as it continued existing around him. Yes, existing, unlike these accursed beasts that continued to hound him.

... That was an odd thought. Why did he put it _that_ way of all things? Of course they stopped existing, as he was the one who put them to death.

But, at the same time, he knew that's not what he meant. There was some other meaning behind that unspoken thought, something else that escaped the ghost's notice. Try as he might, though, his mind offered no further answers, and the ghost was left alone to his empty thoughts once more. Instead of trying to puzzle that out, the Spectre shook its head, bringing a hand up to his helmet as he let out a sigh.

And then he stopped. His focus was no longer on his thoughts, but on his hand.

It was... smaller. No longer clawed, and no longer twisted. Familiar, but familiar in a different way. A sharp growl snapped the Spectre out of its thoughts, as its next foe drew near.

A simple bear.

The ghost charged forward once more, shield at the ready as it met its beastly opponent.

* * *

"Come oon!"

Ruby Rose was pouting.

Not that she was pouting to put in a display, mind you, but because she was genuinely annoyed. Well, not annoyed in the irritated sense, but in the sort of childishly disappointed sense? Except not childishly, because she's not a child anymore!

The little girl quickly aborted that line of thought, before she got too out of hand. After all, there was a reason why she was pouting, and that reason was a certain magic wielding Hall monitor, who refused to let her zoop around again. Sure, he had a good reason an hour or so ago, when they were worried about dust consumption, since they were walking in grimm-infested woods.

However, that was half an hour ago. And in that half hour, absolutely nothing happened.

The lack of grimm certainly made the trip safer, but for a huntress-in-training like Ruby, it also made the trip excruciatingly dull. So, rather than simply walk back to Beacon, Ruby wanted to try playing around with the magical not-magic some more. The Hall monitor did not agree with her, however, and no amount of silver puppy-dog eyes changed his position.

Not that that stopped her.

"Pleeeaaase?" The girl's voice drawled out, looking up at her companion as she tried once more. This time, her gaze fell to the young man that they had been sent to retrieve in the first place, watching as Jaune and Pyrrha chatted with each other. "I mean, Jaune hasn't had a chance to try it out yet, and if you're going to enchant Crocea Mors, you might as well help out Cresent, too! Right Jaune?"

Ruby threw the question to blonde swordsman, only to receive a confused glance from her fellow leader in return. Obviously, Jaune had no idea what she was talking about, and that was not helping her case. However, rather than be deterred by the blonde's ignorance of her question, or Hall's magical enchanting-things in general, Ruby tried a different strategy.

"I promise I'll pay you in cookies?" Surely, that would work. After all, the Scholar was a cookie aficionado, just like herself, and there was no way he could resist the delicious allure of those baked goods. Truly, it was his greatest weakness!

"... Didn't you finish yours already?"

"..." A weakness that she, too, shared.

Ruby turned her attention to her secret pouch, slipping a hand into the pocket where she stored her snacks. One of the advantages of combat skirts were the easy-to-access perfectly hidden pouches, and the little red leader made full use of hers. However, when she slipped her hand into one such pocket, she was dejected to find that no more of her snacks remained. She knew this would happen, especially since Weiss had all but forced her to change her equipment, saying she should store more valuable things like "ammunition" or "emergency medical supplies".

Sure, ammunition was good, but so were cookies! Why couldn't she understand that?

This, understandably, put a dampener on her mood. But Ruby Rose was nothing if not persistent, and rather than give up now, she turned to the rest of her team for help. However, Blake had taken back the Magic book, trying to read it whilst Yang pestered her, which meant neither of them could really assist. Likewise, Weiss was with Ren and Nora as they conversed with Kali, so that wasn't much better.

Maybe Pyrrha and Jaune could help? After all, she wasn't wrong when she noted that Jaune hadn't had a chance to play with the magical enchantments. Yes, she'd ask her fellow leader for help! Without another word, Ruby sped off to the two, a playful smile on her face as she made her way up to the pair.

"Hey Jaune! Hey Pyrrha! How do you two feel... about..."

Ruby's smile faded the moment she approached, as the atmosphere between the two was definitely not cheerful.

"-ike said, Pyrrha, you don't need to worry about it. Cardin's just joking around like always, and it's not like anything got damaged, right? Except for the locker, I guess."

The blonde swordsman gave a nervous chuckle, as his lips tried to curl into a smile. However, the expression that Ruby saw on his face was one she recognized, and one she knew to be anything but happy. She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything as she watched her friend try to cover up whatever was hurting him with a fake smile.

"Jaune. You were sent to a grimm-infested forest. You could've been hurt!"

In contrast, his partner's face was filled with genuine concern, as the red champion tried to speak with him. Ruby saw hints of frustration, but it was far outweighed by worry and  
uncertainty. It was clear that Pyrrha saw past the blonde's attempts at skirting the issue.

"But I got through it okay, didn't I? S-so you don't need to worry about me..."

Those words seemed to have an effect, and Pyrrha's eyes widened for just a little bit before she turned away, her voice quiet. It took the redhead a moment to catch herself, taking in a deep breathe before she turned back to face her leader. "... Jaune... If you ever need any help... Just let us know, okay?"

"...Alright Pyrrha."

Ruby silently returned to the front of the group. She... wasn't really in the mood to ask about magic anymore.

Which was fine, because a tree exploded at that very moment, shattering outwards with countless splinters as a low-flying Ursa tumbled in, launched by some unknown force. The beast of grimm was already weakened, and a sickening crack emanated from its form the moment it impacted against a nearby rock. A single, low growl was all the Ursa could muster, before it slowly began fading away.

The little red leader, along with the rest of her group, turned her attention away from the smoking corpse, her sights settling down on the source of the monster's entrance.

There, standing amidst fallen trees and torn earth, was a towering knight clad in heavy armour, with his massive blade pointed squarely at Hall.


	40. To Be A Knight (5)

**Chapter 40**  
 **To Be A Knight (5)**

* * *

"You!"

An ethereal voice echoed out, a cold anger clinging to its tone as the Ghost of the Royal Guardsman glared at the group, its blade pointed straight at the Scholar. The Spectre's actions were met with caution, as Team RWBY, Team JNPR, and even Kali drew their weapons. Each party stared at the other, silence reigning for a few short moments.

However, the one man who chose not to draw a weapon was the Scholar himself, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the newcomer. Unlike the case with Kali, Hall had recognized the silhouette of this particular ghost instantly: an unmistakable armour and massive shield, the signature armament of the Royal Guard class.

It was... odd to see one by itself, since the class was best utilized in groups of three or more. Just as surprising was the fact that, rather than bearing a spear or pike, the Guard in front of him chose to wield a blade.

Not that that mattered. Those oddities merely served as advantages for the Scholar to exploit, and exploit them he must, for his opponent was in a category far above his own. This, coupled with the fact that Hall was meant for a supporting role meant trouble. Still, he was not a pure support class, and he still had some ways of evening the field; doubly so since he was not fighting alone. Rather than panic, Hall kept his eyes fixed on Royal Guard, watching for any movement as he slipped a hand into his pouch, searching for the necessary catalysts.

"You will pay for what you've done!" The ghost, for the most part, was content to just stand there yelling at them, throwing angry looks at the Scholar. "You and the rest of your inhuman kind!"

That... struck a nerve, for some reason. Hall wasn't sure why, but he was aggravated now. A glance from the corner of his eye told him that a certain member of Team RWBY, a particular black-bowed ninja, felt a similar bristle of irritation. However, the Scholar didn't have time to contemplate the meaning of this, as another young woman from that team spoke out.

"Seriously, Hall? What did you do to these guys?" Yang was annoyed in her own way, exasperated to say the least as she threw a glance to the hall monitor, letting out a tired breath. Sure, she was never one to back away from conflict if it came knocking, and she was hardly the type of person to stay out of trouble. However, the blonde brawler found herself growing less and less surprised by these sudden conflicts in the Emerald Forest, all of which centering on the Hall monitor.

"Do you just pick a fight with all the ghosts and monsters in this stupid forest the same way you did with us? Don't tell me you pissed off her, too!" With that, Yang pointed her thumb beside her, gesturing towards Kali, her voice teetering between sarcasm and genuine irritation.

The ghost girl in question, however, only offered a confused tilt of her head in return.

"I don't know, but it's obvious that the Royal Guard's choosing to pick a fight at the moment." Hall's voice was calm as his attention returned to the armoured opponent. Certainly, Royal Guardsmen were powerful foes, especially given their wide range of skills. However, he still had a rough idea of how to deal with him.

The Scholars and Sages of Rune-Midgard were notorious for their ability to disrupt opponents, and Hall was no different, as he too held this trait. Just as the rest of his class, the hall monitor was fully capable of dealing with Adventurers. And as much as he'd like to keep his skills under wraps, the Scholar saw little choice but to use them.

"Get ready to attack on my signal." There was no room for debate in the Scholar's voice, and the man began gathering his energy, feeling the familiar flow of his Spiritual power as he collected it in his hands. His target remained still, content to glare at them as he stood poised over the corpse of a fallen tree. He was a fair distance away, but still within reach of Hall's Soul Siphon skill.

Yes... Soul Siphon. One of the iconic skills of the Scholar Class, feared because of its sudden effect, completely removing an enemy's Spiritual Power without warning. While it was powerful, it had its drawbacks, and the unstable manipulation of raw spiritual energy was not always successful; should the spell fail, rather than the target, it would be the invoker that ends up suffering this debilitating effect.

And, unfortunately, the skill failed.

A shattering crack echoed from Hall the moment he cast the spell, his very being warring against itself as he felt his body tear itself apart. Pain followed his nerves, reaching deep into him, a burning sensation that arced throughout his form. And just as his spirit lashed out, so too did his body, the magical backlash tearing through his limbs with a sundering heat. His bones felt broken, and his mind ... fractured.

Splintered and drained, the effect was far stronger than he had remembered, and Hall struggled to collect himself as he bit back a pained cry. This, understandably, drew a look of concern from his allies, but the Scholar had expected something like this. Not something this painful, admittedly, but he was no stranger to spell failure or its effects.

Which was why he barely wasted any time restoring himself, taking out a Yggdrasil seed without a second thought. Were he fighting a simple monster, the Scholar might've reconsidered his actions. But, he was certain that his opponent was another adventurer, and that meant that he could not hold back. In one single motion, Hall brought out the minute seed, popping it into his mouth as he consumed it whole.

And with that, he felt his power returning, the dormant power of the seed instantly coming to life the moment it entered his system. Within the span of a single second, he felt the energy take him, mending his form as his Health and Spiritual Power slowly stitched back together, as the power of the seed suffused through him. To his surprise, the sensation even began weaving the residual Aura that had collected in him, slowly binding it together in unfamiliar pathways, rigid and mechanical and wholly unexpected.

Almost as unexpected as the mangled cries of pain that immediately erupted from Kali and the ghost of the Royal Guardsman.

* * *

Jaune was nervous, worried about the coming fight. He knew he was the weakest link of the group, his sword and shield unable to even contend with a minor Ursa. And just as intimidating was their opponent, a massive ghostly warrior that towered over the rest of them, his motions far more practiced than the wanna-be huntsman.

However, he knew that he could not back down. He was here for a reason, just like the rest of his friends, and he resolved himself to fight till the end. His eyes fell to his teammates, watching as Nora and Ren prepared their weapons. Pyrrha was beside him, flashing him a reassuring smile, with no trace of their disagreement from earlier.

Yes... a disagreement. That's one way to put it. His partner had been worried for his sake, and try as he might, he couldn't convince her that he was fine. Jaune appreciated the redhead's concerns, but at the same time, he was certain that Pyrrha didn't... trust him? No, that's not it. She just... Didn't think he was okay. That he'd be okay in grimm-infested woods like the Emerald Forest.

Not that she was wrong or anything. He couldn't even deal with a weak Ursa. Instead, he was completely out of his element, unable to even hurt the grimm, as he was knocked around. Only his armour and his aura saved him. Well, that and Kali.

Another sigh escaped Jaune's lips as he turned away from his partner, his attention shifting to the ghostly knight that was now accompanying them, about to fight alongside them. He was grateful for her help, of course, but... she also reminded him that he was simply a teenager who wanted to _play_ hero. He just didn't have the ski-

The sudden sound of shattered... something broke him from his thoughts. The entire group turned to the source, only to find Hall clutching himself in obvious pain. Neither he nor anyone else knew what happened. But, before they could ask if he was okay, the Scholar took out something, and popped it in his mouth.

And then Kali screamed.

"Keep it away from me! **Keep it away!** "

The panicked cries of the ghostly Knight filled the air, her words drowning out the rest of the forest as she reeled away from the Scholar, her mind completely replaced by the repulsive memory of fear and oblivion. Her blade had been discarded, dropped and forgotten on the empty earth, flickering into nothingness as she clasped her hands around her head.

None of the students understood what was happening, but they could clearly tell that their new friend was hurting, and the young Arc was the first to act. Immediately abandoning the battle, the blonde swordsman stowed his blade, his shield forming back to a familiar sheathe as he quickly made his way over to Kali. No longer burdened by his weapon, Jaune wrapped his arm around the ghost girl's waist, somehow able to pull her intangible form as he carried her away from the conflict

And, rather than shout out in panic, his voice reverted to the oddly tactical mind that had taken him back during the examination.

"I'll bring her back to Beacon! Pyrrha, cover me! Ren, Nora, support RWBY and Hall!" Just like that, he gave his orders, the young man's voice sharp and clear as it rose above the two ghosts' anguished cries.

Without waiting for his team's response, the Arc ran off, carrying the broken ghostly Knight in his arms as he retreated away from the group.

* * *

Whatever doubts Pyrrha might've had about her leader's tactics would have to wait for later. She too understood their position, and knew that it was no time to argue. So, she simply nodded at Jaune's words, shifting Milo back to a rifle as she brought up her shield, ready to receive their opponent's attack.

But nothing came.

Instead, the hostile ghost seemed to be as tormented as Kali was, his sword and shield scattered on the grass as the Royal Guardsman fell to his knees. His voice was less comprehensible than that of their companion's, reduced to nothing more than hoarse grunts and shouts as his hands clenched his temple. Even from this distance, the redheaded warrior could see the pain on her opponent's face, as the armoured ghost bit back another growled cry, his eyes focused on nothing as he glared into the empty air. Another scream.

No one knew what was going on, but Pyrrha Nikos stood ready, her rifle trained on the fallen ghost, watching for any sign of movement. Any sign of attack. Any sign of an action that wasn't just a pained screech. Yet, the armoured form did nothing, his voice eventually fading into a pained whimper, cracking in the air as he tried to catch his breath. Was whatever it was feeling subsiding? Or... was this something else? The Mistrali champion had no idea, and her only hint came in the form of her intuition, telling her to stay prepared.

She turned her attention to the hall monitor, her worries clearly apparent on her face, her expression conveying her unspoken question as her vision darted between Hall and the fallen ghost. Was this something he did? Did he... incapacitate their opponent, as well as Kali? The man had definitely done something, though Pyrrha had no clue what. Hopefully, he was willing to provide an answer, and the redheaded warrior gave an expectant look to Hall.

"A fvb'e kegy dvlt xgkuu zn vavosc... Bv ucysquc."

At his words, she froze. The young man's voice had _changed_ , no longer the carefree tone that he used when talking with Ruby, or the serious tone he used when helping out in lectures. Instead, it sounded like... metal scraped together with something else, crushed into a sound that was simply wrong. A voice that should not be a voice, as it battered against her very instincts. The Mistrali quickly turned her attention to the rest of the group, wondering if she was just going crazy, or if she had truly heard that.

Judging by the paled looks on her friends' faces, that sound was not a product of her imagination. Ren and Nora were both confused, while Yang and Blake had a familiar sense of recognition in their eyes. Even Weiss's composed exterior fell, replaced by a sense of anxiety that seemed to border on fear. Only Ruby Rose was unaffected, her eyes still settled on the ghost, ignoring Hall completely as though nothing had happened.

"What the heck was that?!" Yang was the first address the group's worries, earning a look of confusion from her sister, while Pyrrha's eyes remained on the Scholar. And she was surprised by his reaction, watching him as he reeled from the blonde brawler's voice, a similar look of bewilderment and apprehension that the rest of them wore. Pyrrha saw himself flinched at the sound, his face one of shock before it settled to confusion and contemplation.

"What do you mean, Yang?" Ruby, for her part, was simply confused, more concerned by the sudden outburst than anything else.

"What do you mean what do I mean? Didn't you hear Hall?"

"Yeah?" This earned the blonde a curious glance from her sister, not quite sure what the problem was. "He just said to be careful. Why? What's wrong?"

"...You understood that?" Ren was the next to speak, which confused the little red leader further. It seemed to Pyrrha that her friend truly had no idea what was going on. Fortunately, her teammate noticed this, and quickly clarified the issue for Ruby as he spoke once more. "Hall's voice is... different. We can't understand him at the moment. Are you saying you're able to?"

"Wait... You mean it's back to the garble thing?"

Pyrrha was stunned by how easily Ruby took the sudden change. But, at the same time, it certainly seemed like something the red leader would do, and Pyrrha almost felt her worries fade.

Another scream solved that issue. The group had no more time for questions, quickly turning their attention back to the fallen ghost.

And staring back at them was not the tormented spirit of a Royal Guardsman, but an unnatural glare that belonged only to a Bloody Knight.

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch was already in flight the moment she received a call on her Scroll, no doubt from a certain headmaster. The fact that he chose to call her, rather than simply send a message spoke volumes of the students' situation. She didn't even need to think before she answered the device.

"Ozpin? Is everything alright?"

"No, Glynda. It isn't." Ozpin's voice was grave as he stared at Glynda for a few short moments, before turning his attention back to something else entirely. Whatever it was, there was no doubt in the instructor's mind that this was the cause of his concern. "How much help were you able to enlist?"

"Peter and Bart were both willing to assist, and I've reactivated some of those security bots that Ironwood lent you a while back... just to be safe." And yet, with all their strength, Glynda had a growing suspicion that even this was not enough for them to feel 'safe'. The furrowed brow that Ozpin gave confirmed that thought, and she simply had to ask. "What happened?"

"Something dire."

Either the headmaster was deliberately being vague, or he honestly had no idea how to put the problem to words. And considering his expression, it was most certainly the latter. "... It relates to the nature of our Hall monitor, as well as the last incident he was a part of."

The headmaster's voice was loud enough for everyone in the Bullhead to hear it, and both Peter and Bartholomew turned their full attention to Glynda's Scroll.

"You don't mean it has to do with those armours again, do you?" There was no mirth in Port's voice, not after leaning of the origin of those ancient armours. A single nod from the Ozpin's holographic face confirmed that question. "But how? I thought the forests were cleared of that. Didn't they cease after Mr. Hall burned away that seed?"

"... Do not forget that he still has a few more of those seeds in his possession."

That was more than enough to worry the teachers, as they let those words sink in. They knew full well that those were the source of the problem—the Scholar told them that himself—so what did he do? Did he willingly activate one? For what reason?

"To address your concerns, he did not willingly cause a repeat of those events..." Before they could speculate further, Ozpin's voice sounded out once more, pausing for just a moment as he considered his words.

"But you're saying that these events still have repeated themselves?" Bartholomew caught the pause, his eyes fixed with headmaster's, the three teachers now huddled around the Scroll. Almost absently, he ran his thumb along the side of his thermos, ready to shift it at a moment's notice. This tic did not escape the notice of his colleagues.

"Not quite. However, this remains a problem." And at that, Ozpin turned his Scroll, his image replaced by the familiar image of the Bloody Knight. The same monster from that fateful night, where it had shattered countless grimm, wrestled against a Deathstalker and forced an Ancient Nevermore to the ground.

The same ghostly image that had forced them to call off the storage locker's retrieval.

But this time, Glynda Goodwitch noticed that the Bloody Knight was no ghost.


	41. To Be A Knight (6)

**Chapter 41**  
 **To Be A Knight (6)**

* * *

Even now, the air screamed at her, a furious maelstrom of wind and darkness that lashed at her senses. It struck at her very being, each painful rend threatening to tear away more of herself. She felt pain like none before, tearing at her limbs with an unrelenting rage, coursing through her form as she felt part of her fade away. And, just as abruptly as it came, it was muted by an unknown warmth.

Or was it? Just as the pain faded, so too did the other sensation, leaving the woman lost in the world around her. Above the ghostly Knight were perpetual clouds that stunted the sun, draping the land in an unnatural twilight that seemed to cover everything. There was no light that truly illuminated this fallen city, no brightness that shed its glow on these ruined streets. Instead, only scattered sunlight dared to linger in these ruins, forever clouded by an unnatural fog, serving as an unattainable light for its monstrous inhabitants.

No... That's not right...

They were in a forest, weren't they? Even now, the sound of flowing leaves and the warmth of the day clung to her mind, tugging faintly at her senses despite the growing cold. Images of fallen stone, draped in vines and moss, wove together with the sight of a verdant forest, both memories warring within her thoughts. The ghost of the Knight tried to calm herself, to bring herself to her senses as she tried to take in her surroundings once more.

She knew that she wasn't in a broken city. Her mind told her that there was no forgotten castle, no abandoned mausoleum that was once her home. Instead, she was at-

That's when she felt that cold darkness in the air. There was no other way to describe it, beyond an instinctual pressure of dread that pervaded her senses. It was something unnatural and wrong, and the Knight knew that it was coming for her. The wind picked up once more, howling through countless empty structures as it tore through destroyed archways and dilapidated rubble. In the distance, she could hear a voice, but it was quickly drowned out by another blast that swept through the woods.

Her eyes closed once more, bracing herself for the coming onslaught, hoping that she'd be able to outlast it. Yet, try as she might, she knew that there was no way to stop it, and her struggles were fruitless as it tried to chase her down.

... Chase her down?

That singular thought echoed in the ghost's mind, confusing her for just a moment. Yes, it was trying to chase her down. That meant that it hadn't caught her... That it hadn't consumed her. That in itself shook the woman out of her panic, resonating through her mind as she felt part of herself settle down. The Knight dared to hope, her eyes slowly opening once more.

She saw the darkness once again. Yet, it was distant, reaching out to her in vain as she felt the familiar glow of nature anchoring her spirit. The thoughts and images of destroyed buildings began to fade, replaced by the muted sensation of ancient trees. It was as though the very forest began pushing back against that darkness from before, warding it off in a comforting glow.

No. Not just the forest. There was something else, too.

She saw the distant shadows flicker, unable to encroach upon this mystery, as she finally took notice of this second essence. It was... small, but at the same time, so very large. A pure white gleam that was so imperceptible, yet shone outwards with a brilliant light that held the corruptive shadows at bay. It lit up the darkness—no, the twisted memories—that tried take root once more.

And she remembered... something. For she knew now that these were memories. Memories of something or someone, of a time and place that had long since passed. But, at the same time, these memories were _wrong_ , somehow. They were artificial, alien both to her, and to the events it tried to replicate within her. Using her, as if to fill out some sort of role.

But her revelation offered no more insight. She knew not what it meant, only that this sudden light was enough to push it away. The ghost's body relaxed, and her mind had finally calmed down enough to realize how paradoxical that statement was. The Knight gave a faint chuckle... No. She wasn't just a Knight; nor was she was just a simple ghost, either. She was Kali, a name that she had brought out for herself, and that the people around her had accepted. And though she had owned that name for only a few short moments, it was something that was truly hers.

Something noticed her chuckle, as the blonde heard a sigh of relief. She felt the comforting light, the one that had driven back those pained memories, start to dim and relax. It was an odd way to describe it, but she knew the light was more spiritual than literal.

Whatever it was, though, she knew she had to repay it in some way, whatever it was. The ghostly Knight finally took notice of her eyes, recognition filling her as she finally took in the sight of the forest around her. There was truly no trace of the shadow now, with only the lively green of ancient trees around her. Blue skies hung in the air above, and even the sun seemed brighter than before.

But that was not her concern. Instead, Kali shifted her view to the source of the light, to that spirit that had warded off the unnatural chill from before.

And staring back at her was the cerulean eyes of an aspiring huntsman, blonde hair and all.

"Hey... Are you okay?"

* * *

The headmaster let out a sigh of relief.

It seemed that... whatever it was that surrounded Mr. Arc's ghostly companion had faded. It was certainly once less worry for the aged man, but he could not afford to relax yet. While one of their problems had subsided for now, many more remained, and Ozpin shifted his focus back to another security camera.

Countless grimm began to move.

And the Headmaster could not understand why. Oh, he had his theories, as their sudden spike in activity coincided with the little stunt that the hall monitor had pulled. And just as important was the fact that the grimm seemed to converge on his location, ignoring their usual paths and mannerisms as they made a beeline towards the clearing where the students stood. Obviously, this had something to do with Hall and his little seed of Yggdrasil. That still didn't explain _why_ , though.

But there was no doubt in Ozpin's mind that that piece of another world was the source of this entire conflict. After all, it was what had consumed the ghost from earlier, warping the Royal Guardsman so utterly that it transformed back into the Bloody Knight. Just as importantly, it drew in the grimm, waking them from all corners of the forest as they made their way towards the group.

No, that's not quite right. Originally, they sought out all the students, but quickly ignored Mr. Arc and his companion the moment the phenomenon around them faded. So, without a doubt, they were drawn to energies of that seed alone. But why?

Before he could think on this further, another perimeter alarm began blaring out, and Ozpin quickly stifled his thoughts. They were important, but he had to put them on hold, the situation far more urgent as he turned his attention to the source of the alarm. His eyes narrowed as he spotted yet more grimm, their arrival heralded by the deafening screech of a Deathstalker. Just like the others, this new group made their way towards the group of students, keenly aware of its targets as they ignored everything else in their path.

Ozpin... had to make a decision. He had to come up with some way to deal with those grimm. Or, at the very least, to get the Students to safety. They were certainly aspiring huntsmen, but they were also far outclassed, both by by the incoming grimm and by the Bloody Knight.

The headmaster's eyes fell onto the holodisplay with the students and their armoured opponent. Even now, both sides stayed their hands, waiting for the other to make the first move. He watched as the Bloody Knight stood at attention, growling out its incomprehensible words at the group, drawing out a nervous glance from all but Miss Rose and Mr. Hall. Instead, the red leader had a look of anger, while the Scholar's expression changed to one of curiosity as the voice of Team RWBY's leader echoed out.

"...an't be his fault! He's no puppet or minion or anything! He's a person, just like us!"

There was no doubt that the Headmaster was missing out on most of the conversation, but judging by Ruby's words, it was similar to the discussion that had occurred between Hall and the Raydrics. Just as before, the Scholar had been accused of being ... something. And just as before, the silver-eyed girl came to his defense, immediately putting her faith in him. Whether she was correct or not was irrelevant, because Ozpin had noticed something else during that exchange.

There was an expression in the Scholar's eyes, a hint of gratitude mixed with... Doubt? Whether it was the accusations of the Armour, the musings of his thoughts, or even the words of Ruby, something bothered the young man enough to cast doubt on him. Ozpin watched as Hall threw a cautious glance towards the rest of the students, lingering for only a moment before turning to face the Bloody Knight once more.

The Knight pointed its blade at the Scholar, bellowing out one more cry. This time, the Scholar responded, his own voice as garbled as the armoured behemoth's, standing firm and resolute as his gaze settled on the Bloody Knight. Both figures were still, silent as they stared at one another, and it was only the words of Team RWBY that had managed to shed some light on the sudden development.

"... You can't agree to this!"

There was no mistaking the worry in Ruby's voice as the security cameras continued, taking in the entire scene as Ozpin's focus shifted away from the two. Even if he was watching indirectly, the Headmaster had a clear view of everyone present, watching their reactions as the events began to unfold. And the first to react was Miss Xiao Long, caution on her face as she turned her attention to her sister.

"What's... going on, sis?"

"He says he's going to fight that thing by himself!"

"What? Is he crazy or something?"

Were Ozpin not aware of the Scholar at that moment, he too would've echoed those thoughts. However, the Headmaster could clearly see Hall, and the man instantly recognized the resolute expression in the young man's eyes. Once more, Hall spoke, much to the chagrin of Team RWBY's as her own expression remained unconvinced.

"He says to trust him, that he has a plan."

"You don't look like you trust him."

"Because he refuses to tell me what that plan is, or why he has to duel that thing!"

Duel. That word was surprising, to say the least, but it explained a lot. At the very least, it explained why their opponent still hadn't attacked, and had simply contented itself with standing at attention. Ozpin's focus turned back to the Bloody Knight, and he was all but certain that the phenomenon that had consumed the Armoured Ghost had originated from the Scholar. After all, why else would the ghost propose a duel? And why else would the young man agree to it?

The headmaster had all the knowledge he needed. It was time to act.

Activating his desk terminal, the aged man quickly sent a message to Glynda, informing them to make haste. More importantly, however, Ozpin sent a message to the Hall monitor as well. Whether he would accept or not was another matter entirely, but it was all the Headmaster could do to ensure that his students remained safe.

* * *

It would have its revenge. It would fulfill its vow.

The Guardsman remembered everything; The betrayal of the gods, the fall of its kingdom, and the centuries of torment that his comrades had to suffer through. He, just as the rest of his people, were mere victims caught in affairs beyond the comprehension of mortals. Not that they understood _what_ , though. They were simple soldiers who wished to protect their kingdom, and the Royal Guardsman was no exception, so he knew nothing about the reasons behind the sudden betrayal.

No... all he knew about the betrayal was that it _had_ occurred, brought about by one of the servant of the gods, striking without warning or mercy. Even now, the name of the thing that betrayed them echoed in his mind, and it was this knowledge alone that fueled the spirit of the Royal Guard, what caused his soul to remain tied to this land, despite all that had transpired.

But simply remembering was not enough. Having knowledge alone was not enough for him to truly manifest, leaving him a lingering regret.

That's how he started, right?

Truthfully, he could not remember... But that didn't matter now. The sudden burst of light that the pawn unleashed reignited something within the Royal Guardsman. He felt his spirit bend and break, only to be reformed into something else: something familiar and ancient. A part of him screamed out in protest, but that scream soon died out, leaving only his resolution behind. Honour demanded retribution.

And the Bloody Knight would have retribution.

However, the armoured warrior was no fool, nor was it the possessed husk it once was. While its body may have again been twisted by the unnatural power of the pawn, its mind remained intact this time, fully lucid and capable of fulfilling his duty.

So he would not be a fool. He would not drag in innocent lives for the sake of his vendetta; as much as he had been a monster in his previous life, he was a protector in the life before that. Instead, the Bloody Knight made its intentions clear, seeking out only the pawn of the gods as his opponent, granting clemency to the remaining humans.

What surprised the Knight was that the child that sought to mediate quickly protested; Instead, the being that agreed was the pawn itself. Perhaps this puppet was not quite the same as the betrayer. The armoured warrior fixed its gaze on the Scholar, appraising it as it-

Or perhaps, it was exactly the same. At that very moment, the Scholar had taken a small black object from his pouch, and the Bloody Knight readied itself for the oncoming attack. Of course, it had been prepared for this, its skull shield readied as it began gathering its spiritual energy. Which was why the vengeful spirit was surprised to hear the puppet's voice speak out.

"... Since we're going to duel each other anyways, do you consent to letting my companions leave first?"

There was always the chance for deception. The Bloody Knight knew not to trust them, as even if the humans seemed innocent, they could have been subverted by the puppet as well. At the same time, were they to leave, they would not be involved in the ensuing conflict, which was beneficial for all but the puppet. Which, in itself, was suspicious. But Before the Knight could think further on the manners, the child spoke out in defiance.

"What?! No! We're not leaving until we're sure you're okay!"

The armoured warrior merely watched, surprised by the sudden outburst. The incomprehensible protests that came up moments later, all from the group of humans that seemed to travel with the puppet, echoed the same vehement denial. After all, the child seemed incapable of subterfuge, and even the Scholar himself seemed to want them out of the picture.

"... Very well."

So the Bloody Knight consented.

* * *

Hall had a plan.

That much was obvious. After all, he was no stranger to dealing with Bloody Knights, at least in Rune-Midgard. Granted, the process was tedious, as it involved keeping them at bay with various applications of Fire Walls, a veritable storm of elemental bolts to wear them down, and Spell Breakers to ensure no meteors would be a problem. It was an annoying dance, but one that was far easier if he only had to worry about himself, which was one of the reasons why he had accepted the odd duel.

Of course, that was also the least important reason.

What was far more important was that Hall had just discovered a link between the Royal Guard, the power of Yggdrasil, and the Bloody Knight that now stood before him. The Scholar immediately began cursing himself for not attempting to Sense his opponent earlier, berating himself for his assumption of the Royal Guard being an adventurer. He invoked Sense this time, only to find the resultant information was far more familiar to him than the last one he had met in the Emerald Forest.

As expected, his opponent was a Bloody Knight, but the spell felt more... precise than before. Just as before, he identified the elemental affinity of the opponent. This time, however, he managed to uncover his opponent's monster race, as well as some of the physical properties of the creature. The information was still far more fragmented that anything he had gleaned in his time in Rune-Midgard, but it was promising nonetheless. Still, the question of _why_ Sense worked this time stuck out in the Scholar's mind, considering its less-than-stellar performance before.

And that would be one of the many things he'll find out, for the Scholar intended to test a lot of things on his new opponent. Effectiveness of dust as a catalyst, the potential of the aura-infused catalysts, even his equipment that he had infused with aura... He needed something he had fought before to use as a baseline, and this was the perfect opportunity to act out some of the experiments he had been keeping in check until now. A very compelling reason to accept the duel indeed.

Finally, the Scholar had one more reason to accept; The Headmaster had taken note of this encounter, and had formally requested the Scholar to participate so that the students could properly escape. It seemed that their little event had attracted a number of grimm, and the faculty was worried about the students. Hall was surprised to find himself agreeing on that basis alone, as a part of himself urged him to take on the role of protector. A surprisingly vocal part, and one that the man hadn't entirely expected. Still, it was a reason, as well as to garner some more good faith with the school. It just meant that he'd have to be careful later.

With that out of the way, and the knowledge of potentially ceaseless grimm, there wasn't any harm in testing out the more... unstable items he had brought along from Rune-Midgard, was there? Slipping his hand into his pouch, the Scholar began infusing aura into the three other items he had intended to test.

First was the pitch-black fly wing, that somehow slipped him through space, warping him to a random point in the nearby area. An interesting panic item, and one he had been curious about for a long time.

Next was a vibrant butterfly wing, one that was attuned to a particular spot. Like the fly wing, it was _supposed_ to warp him through space, depositing him to wherever it was attuned to. He had some reservations about using this, as he wasn't quite sure whether the attunement had succeeded. However, now was a good a time as any to test.

And the final item he wanted to test? A simple dead branch.


	42. A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (1)

**Chapter 42**  
 **A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (1)**

* * *

"For the last time, Hall! We're not letting you fight that thing by yourself!"

To say that Ruby was worried was an understatement. She had no idea why Hall was so insistent on fighting a giant armoured ghost knight of doom by himself. The thing was strong enough to wrestle against Giant Deathstalkers and Ancient Nevermores, if their last excursion into the forest was any indication. Coupled with the fact that her magic-boosted shots had only dented the Bloody Knight during that engagement, the red leader was all but certain that the Hall monitor would need some assistance.

So why was he being so stubborn about it?!

"And for the last time, Ruby, I said I'm going to duel it."

The thing that confused Ruby the most was the fact that the young man wasn't worried in the slightest. His voice was almost conversational, and there was no trace of nervousness or fear as the Scholar spoke out with simple clarity. Of course, she had heard about the little sparring session between Hall and Yang, so the leader of Team RWBY knew full well that Hall was out of his element. She even tried to voice this a few times, only to receive a dismissive wave from her friend.

"... The child is persistent."

A second voice rang out, this one belonging to the Bloody Knight himself. At first, she was surprised by how human it sounded, save for the empty metallic echo that hung beneath its words. Still, it was something that she had gotten... used to. More so than the scream that it had made when it changed from ghost to armour. The girl in red was certain _that_ particular sound would haunt her in nightmares to come.

Still, in contrast to its voice, the living armour stood idly, its posture lax as it merely watched the group. The crimson glow beneath its shadowed visor flickered between the group of huntsmen- and huntresses-in-training, slowly taking in its surroundings as it waited, before setting its sights back on the Hall monitor.

"Yeah, she doesn't quite understand what a duel is." The Hall monitor that was currently waving off her worries like they were nothing!

This part annoyed Ruby more than anything else! Here they were, about to enter a life-or-death encounter, and the Scholar was simply treating it like it was a sparring match in Professor Goodwitch's class. A part of her wished that it was simply a sparring match, but the Bloody Knight had made it very clear that it intended to end Hall's life. She couldn't help but shout at the teacher assistant once again.

"Why are you so calm about this?!"

"Because I said I can handle it, now hurry up and get out of here. "

This was going nowhere.

The Scholar stood his ground, absolutely refusing to step away from his silly position. So, rather than try to argue, Ruby disappeared in a puff of petals, only to appear right beside the stubborn Hall monitor. If he wasn't going to budge on this stance, then neither would she! Instead, she readied herself, her scythe gleaming underneath the sunlight, ready to strike out at a moment's notice as she settled her gaze on their opponent.

"... So that's it, then? This will be the last warning for you. All of you."

The Bloody Knight's voice held a sense of finality, those words its last ultimatum as the air began to chill. No longer idle, the armoured warrior drew its massive shield, its blade arm outstretched as it slowly pointed at Ruby, then the group of students behind her. The little leader spared only a moment as she threw a quick glance back towards the rest of her friends.

As she expected, her team stood at the ready, their own weapons drawn. Her partner was now in a combat stance, a resolute expression on Weiss's face as her rapier began glowing with dust. Blake drew her blade, the very flourish lashing out at the air around her as she gripped the sheathe in her other hand. And her sister? Well, Yang simply pounded her fists together, Ember Celica ringing out from the impact.

Team JNPR was equally prepared. Nora was gripping her warhammer with a vengeance, the hammerhead probably loaded with some kind of grenade. Ren stood beside his partner, both of his submachine guns drawn, trained on the Knight before them. And Pyrrha seemed the most prepared, her eyes narrowed as they darted between the armoured opponent and... Hall?

She wasn't too sure why Pyrrha kept doing that, but she couldn't afford to worry about it at the moment. So, rather than think on that issue, the red leader turned to face Hall, flashing him a cheeky grin.

"See? You're not getting rid of us that easily!"

"... I see. So there's no chance of you guys leaving, even if I were to bribe you with cookies?"

Ruby caught the somber voice in his tone, in sharp contrast to the silliness of the question. She wasn't too sure why he had phrased it that way, but... Sure, she liked cookies, but there's a difference between pastry preference and helping out a friend in need! She would not back down, and the redhead made her intentions known.

"Nope!"

"And... If I told you that your help was unnecessary? Or, if I told you that the headmaster had instructed this?"

Ruby didn't expect that next question. She knew full well their help would be necessary if Hall truly wanted to fight the Knight, so that was probably a bluff. Maybe? What surprised her was that he mentioned the headmaster; Why would he give an instruction like this? Yet, Ruby couldn't really detect any sort of deceit in her friend's words... Sure, she was never the best at reading people, but that's besides the point! At the end of the day, Hall didn't sound like he was lying.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a large horde of grimm closing in on our location. I was instructed to keep you all safe, at least until the rest of the teachers arrived to extract you all." The Scholar's words were clear and concise, answering Ruby's innocent question with no hesitation. She didn't know what to think about that certain bit of admission, especially since it actually sounded plausible.

"... What are you talking about?"

But before the Red leader could question it further, the Bloody Knight spoke first, its voice echoing through the woods.

The armoured warrior turned its attention away from the students, its gaze shifting onto the Scholar. It kept a grip only on its shield, keeping it by its side as the revenant slowly lowered its weapon. This unexpected action confused the rest of the group, all eyes trained on the massive figure as they tried to puzzle out its intentions. Even Ruby, who had the benefit of understanding the Knight's words, had no clue what it was thinking.

But apparently, Hall did, as he promptly answered the ghost's words. And, as always, he kept his expression neutral, simply explaining his position with the same nonchalance he used during simple lectures.

"Like I said, the monsters in this forest are closing in on this location. I was leading this group of students away from the forest, back to the academy. And it is my responsibility to ensure their safety."

"So you chose to stay behind, in order to let them leave? I did not expect to see chivalry from your kind."

... That was unexpected. Wasn't Hall an adventurer thing in Rune-Midgard? She assumed that they were all for chivalry, from the way he talked about his previous experiences—Fighting monsters, helping towns, all that good stuff. Ruby blinked at the statement, as her gaze shifted over to the hall monitor, only to find a similar sort of confusion plastered on his face.

"My kind? You mean adventurers from Rune-Midgard? Why wouldn't you see chivalry from them?"

And that's when the Bloody Knight... laughed. No, it wasn't quite laughing, since there was no force behind it. Instead, it was an empty sound, completely devoid of mirth as the heavy voice reverberated through the woods.

"... Perhaps you really are just a broken puppet. Rune-Midgard? Do you mean Rune-Midgarts, the kingdom? Or perhaps the world of Midgard itself? Either way, you seem to have a few misconceptions about your place in the world." The Knight's eyes seemed to flash out at those words, no longer brimming with the same murderous intent it carried moments ago, as its gaze fell on the Scholar. "But, at the very least, I can guarantee you one thing: You are no adventurer."

* * *

"A-are you okay?" Jaune asked once more, his brow furrowed with concern as he brought a hand up to Kali's forehead. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the action, but he certainly didn't think that he'd get a proper response. And yet, there it was, the feeling of her skin against his palm, burning up as though she was suffering from a fever.

It was official: He had no idea what ghosts were. But before he could comment further on that anomaly, the woman in question finally responded, nodding as she kept her eyes on Jaune's.

"Y-yes. Thank you." Her words were simple and sincere as she gave a soft smile, closing her eyes as she answered back. There was a slight pause as the ghost took in a deep breath, leaving Jaune more than a little worried. But before he could ask if she was alright, Kali spoke out once more, her eyes fixing firmly on the aspirant huntsman's. "Really. Thank you. I don't know what would've happened if you didn't show up when you did."

And that left the leader of Team JNPR with more questions.

"What do you mean by... showed up?" Jaune had absolutely no idea what his ghostly companion meant by that. After all, he had been carrying her the entire time, running through the forest in one long marathon as he tried to keep her away.

"I mean, if you didn't appear when you did, those shadows would've..."

And then the Ghostly Knight fell silent, her eyes fixed on some spot in the distance. Jaune turned around, trying to follow her gaze only to find trees and bushes. Sure, there was some shade beneath the trees, but the blonde swordsman knew that his companion wasn't referring to those. "I... uh... I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm happy to help?"

"You really don't understand, do you?" There was no admonishment in the Knight's voice, only a distant wonder as she fixed her gaze on the young Arc. It seemed like she saw something good in him, as she flashed the teen a playful smile. "Well, no matter. You helped me, and for that, I am most appreciative... Though I'd appreciate it more if you put me down, first."

A faint blush appeared on Jaune's face as he finally realized their situation, Kali cradled in his arms in a bridal carriage. Now that she wasn't on the verge of collapse, the position was far more compromising, and he let out an embarrassed cough as he set the girl down to her feet. "E-er... Sorry..."

"Please, don't worry about it." He wasn't sure if the ghost was also blushing, or if she always looked like that, but the boy only kept his eyes on his companion for a moment, before finding sudden interest in a nearby tree. This drew another lilting giggle from Kali, before she finally decided to speak up. "I really am grateful to you. In exchange, why don't I show you a few pointers with your form?"

That... that cause him to froze. Jaune mentally slapped himself as he fought back the urge to grunt in frustration. He knew that Kali didn't mean anything by it, after all... but her words still cut into the Arc's insecurities. Even she thought he needed help, huh? Rather than think on the issue, the blonde decided to push past it, flashing the ghost girl a forced smile as he shook his head. "N-no, it's okay. I'll be fine... More importantly, what happened? Hall did something, then you started... screaming."

A faint look of doubt appeared on Kali's face for just a moment, before she processed the rest of Jaune's question. Instead of questioning his refusal, the woman immediately shifted to the second topic, leaning closer to the blonde swordsman. "I forgot! Him! The one you keep calling Hall!"

The sudden bout of broken sentences was more than enough to confuse the Arc, his eyes resting on Kali's, only to find them filled with panic and worry as she stared back at him. "You and your friends must stay away from him!"

"But why?" Jaune honestly didn't see the problem. Sure, he wasn't necessarily the most generous marker, but he didn't actually think the hall monitor was trouble or anything. Certainly not enough to warrant this kind of response. "He's a bit strict with some of the homework, I guess, but no reason to-"

"Do you even know what he is?" Kali's eyes were fixed on the leader of Team JNPR, her face slightly pale as she stared at him. There was fear in her eyes, that much he was certain, and the emotions she held were more than enough to stay his tongue. "What he... did?"

All the young Arc could do was shake his head.

"Then I'll tell you... You know how I said I was a Knight of Glastheim, right? That I was part of the Khalitzburg Order?"

Kali's voice grew quiet, and Jaune didn't miss that little detail, watching the ghostly knight as her gaze shifted to the ground. There was a pall of silence, before he slowly nodded, trying to encourage her to continue. "Y-yeah... But I thought you said you forgot most of your past?"

"... I did. But whatever Hall did was familiar to me, and now I know why." The Ghostly Knight took in a deep breath, holding it for just a moment as she contemplated her words, before letting out a dejected sigh. "Let me tell you about Glastheim... And how it fell."

* * *

"And... what exactly do you mean by that?"

Hall's eyes narrowed as he watched the Bloody Knight. While he had fought plenty of them in the past, this honestly was the first one that had decided to talk at him. Granted, it was one that used to be a Royal Guard, so his past experiences were mostly useless in this situation anyways. Which was the reason why he wanted to stay behind, at first. Since his past experiences were so outdated, he _had_ to ensure that his emergency items still worked as advertised. Unfortunately, that had also meant testing things that he didn't necessarily want to share, which was why he was so adamant in getting Ruby and her group to leave.

But none of that mattered now. Again, the Bloody Knight struck a nerve inside the Scholar, those words irritating him in a way he didn't think possible. It was one thing to be denied a research opportunity. It was another thing entirely to be denied the right to exist, to be considered a-

Hall stopped himself. An action that was growing more and more common these days, as he kept a tight reign on his mind. All too often, he'd find himself thinking on some other tangent, worrying about things he had never considered before. From the inner workings behind metallurgy and Blacksmithing, to a strange interest in recreational reading, the Scholar was growing more and more aware of his unnatural idiosyncrasies. Odd tics that didn't exist back when he was in Rune-Midga-...

He frowned. Part of him still thought that the Bloody Knight was bluffing in some way, just to throw him off-balance. Rune-Midgarts? Was that really what the kingdom was called? And the world wasn't just Midgard, was it? ... Those doubts still prodded at his mind, and this meant a part of him wanted to listen, as if the Bloody Knight held some sort of answer for his growing sense of unease.

"Mean by what? That you're not an adventurer?" The Bloody Knight let loose another chuckle, finally setting its shield aside as it dropped its combat stance, content with simply talking at the Scholar. "It's quite simple, really; I've seen your kind before."

That in itself wasn't too surprising, as Glast Heim was a common area for adventurers to frequent. And yet, the Scholar _knew_ that that wasn't what it meant. Rather than protest, Hall's eyes narrowed, trying to peer into the hidden face beneath the Bloody Knight's visor.

"... You don't seem surprised. In that case, do you know of one named Himmelmez?" The animate armour shifted a bit as it asked this question, its entire frame turned to face to the Scholar, appraising him in return, its red eyes boring into Hall as it searched for his response.

And the Scholar's response was a simple shake of his head. That name was completely foreign to him, and Hall made no secret of that fact. "... No. I don't."

"Is that so? Well, she was of your kind... not born in Midgard. Led around by some fervor and compulsion beyond that of normal men." And with that, the Knight took a step forward, drawing his weapons as he pointed the serrated edge straight at the Hall monitor. "...She destroyed our kingdom, all to attain the item we held in our protection. Honour dictates that I take revenge on behalf of my fallen kingdom. Revenge on creations such as Himmelmez... And _you_. This is why we must duel."

"Wait, what?! That doesn't make any sense! Just how is that honour?!" Ruby took that moment to interrupt, her face obviously filled with incredulous skepticism. Mixed with a bit of panic and confusion, really. "You didn't answer anything about him not being an adventurer, and from what I can tell, Hall's not related to whatever it was this Himmelperson did! So why do you have to fight him for revenge?"

"You still don't understand? It's simple, really. He was not born, but made. And his goals are undoubtedly the same as his kin." The Bloody Knight did not budge, its gaze ominous as it turned from the red reaper back to the Scholar.

"And what makes you say that?"

"Himmelmez destroyed my kingdom for a fragment of Ymir, all to appease whatever god she followed." Its voice grew louder as the armoured revenant tightened its grip on its weapons. The serrated blade slowly began gleaming with power, a red haze coating the metal, as the Bloody Knight brought its shield to bear. Ruby, as well as the rest of the students, prepared their weapons once more, each ready to meet its attack with their own.

However, the words that rang next caused the red leader to falter.

"And your friend holds one such fragment."


	43. A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (2)

**Chapter 43**  
 **A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (2)**

* * *

"W-wait... Before you start... What's Glastheim?"

Kali had expected plenty of questions from the blonde swordsman, but she never would've imagined him asking something so fundamental. She didn't think such as simple question would've surprised her, but those two words brought the ghostly knight to a stop. Has it truly been that long? Has she truly been ... dead for so long that her home was lost to history? What of their kingdom?

"You don't know what Glastheim is..." The ghostly Knight's voice hung in the air for just a moment as she settled her gaze on Jaune, her voice somber as she spoke out. She could clearly see the confusion on the young man's face, comprehension lost on him as she repeated the foreign name. "Before I answer that... Do you know of Rune-Midgarts?"

"Do you mean the world that Hall came from? Wait, no... I think he said it was Rune-Midgard or something like that? Why?"

Kali's mood quickly gave way to confusion, staring at the blonde's questioning eyes. That only lasted for a few moments, however, as she now had her own questions. Rather than answer Jaune, the ghost girl decided to pause, taking in a soft breath as she turned her entire body to face the swordsman proper.

"... I don't know what Hall meant by that, but I assure you that he is mistaken. Rune-Midgarts is... was my kingdom." Yes... 'was' was an apt way to describe it. If the young man before her didn't recognizes either names, that meant that the Rune-Midgarts kingdom had faded into obscurity. "Perhaps Hall simply confused it with something else? After all, if Rune-Midgard is merely the name of the kingdom combined with the name of the world."

When she turned to confirm her theory with the boy, Kali froze. Just as before, Jaune stared at her with uncertainty, not recognizing the name she had just used.

"The name of the world?"

She sincerely hoped that this wasn't implying what she thought it was implying. "Yes... Midgard."  
"Mid... gard?" The way he pronounced the name confirmed her fears, his soft voice slowly fumbling on it, as thought it were another foreign term. If that was the case, then... where was she? _When_ was she? What was the world called now? She didn't have to wait long, as Jaune quickly turned his attention back to the ghostly Knight.

"This world is Remnant... I don't think I've ever heard it called Midgard before. Are... are you from the same place as Hall?"

While that may have been a slight possibility, her body all but told her that this wasn't the case. The world around her was certainly different, but she never truly felt out of place. Sure, that didn't necessarily make sense, but considering the fact that she was still a ghost, she'd... That's it!

"No... I can't be. I'm a ghost, remember?" Kali's voice shot out, suddenly emboldened by that fact. Ignoring the sheer impossibility of her situation, it still spoke volumes of her place in the world. At least, she thought so. "And you found me here, right? I must be related to this forest somehow."

Unfortunately, her companion didn't seem convinced. Rather than agree, the young Arc gave his doubts, a hand awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he spoke out in return, his words unsteady.

"W-well... You see... We kind of found Hall here, too. He said that he fell through a portal or something, and ended up here." Jaune was vague with his statements, and Kali caught this. All it took was an inquisitive glare from the ghost girl to get her answer. "I'm sorry! That was almost a month ago, and I don't... quite remember everything he might've said about it. I had to ... catch up in school."

Kali's expression softened as she watched the blonde swordsman's mood fall, his words growing softer at the end. The young Arc's eyes suddenly found interest in a random rock, his shoulders sagging as he let out a sigh. The Ghostly Knight could tell that something else was bothering her companion, so she quickly pushed her question aside, bringing her hand up to his shoulder as she gave the boy a reassuring pat. That drew his attention long enough for the girl to flash him a smile.

"Don't worry about it, I understand." She had hoped that those words were enough, but if they weren't, then she probably shouldn't dawdle on the conversation. Which was why she moved the topic along. "But like I said, I know I'm not from his world of... Rune-Midgard. Even if it sounds similar to Midgard, I just... _know_ it isn't the same. Especially if it was related to what he... did earlier."

Kali shivered at that memory, before shaking the thoughts away. Still, it clung to her, as if it was a faint sound in the distance, screeching continuously at the air. "What he did felt suffocating and wrong. If that's what his world is like, then I'm certain that I'm not from there. And at the same time, I don't feel anything like that here; This forest feels more welcoming... kind of like home. Are you sure this world isn't Midgard?"

And then it was Jaune's turn to shake his head.

"I-I'm certain... This world is the world of Remnant, and I've never heard the name Midgard before today." Kali must've frowned at that, because she saw the boy react instantly, trying to cheer her up, even over the growing volume of that weird whirring sound. "B-but, if you want to be sure, we can check with my history teacher later. He knows a lot about the world, and I'm sure he'd be able to help find your answers! His name is Professor Oobleck."

Then, the roaring of engines reached their peak, filling the air with a loud droning as a mysterious metallic craft flew into view. However, rather than the sound of this airship, it was a single distinct voice that rose above everything else. Kali was filled with confusion, unable to make sense of the sudden entrance as she saw a man hanging from the side of the craft.

"It's **Doctor** Oobleck!"

"S-sorry!"

It... seemed like Jaune's teachers had arrived. The ghostly Knight was still unsure of what was going on, as she threw a concerned glance over to her companion. When she saw the relief that was on his face, however, she merely accepted it, turning back towards the skies as she watched the strange craft descend. Within a few moments, the metallic hulk landed in front of them, settling down on the clearing as the person named Oobleck stretched out his hand.

"Now, I'm sure you both have plenty of question. Rest assured, you are not alone in that regards. However, before we procure those answer, we must retrieve your peers. Come along Mr. Arc. You too, Miss...?"

She was completely caught off-guard by the teacher's speech style, pausing for just a moment to process his sentence. Clearly, Jaune noticed this as he let out a playful chuckle, before introducing her.

"Her name's Kali, and she's my friend."

"Is that so? Well, Miss Kali, please step into the Bullhead. We must retrieve the rest of your friends if we are to return in time for lunch."

Perhaps it was the way Jaune had called her a friend, or perhaps it was due to the certainty that was in the teacher's voice, but any sense of unease that the ghost girl had was replaced by relief. She couldn't even find it in herself to question the strange vehicle, merely sending the teacher a soft smile as she followed Jaune into the 'Bullhead'. And without even questioning her, the teacher accepted her on board.

Just like that, they took off.

But, as the craft began its ascent, one last thought filled the ghost girl's mind: Jaune had said this world was called Remnant.

A Remnant of what?

* * *

"That can't be true!" Once again, her leader said something ominously vague. And once again, she was lost.

Blake didn't enjoy this feeling of helplessness, but there was nothing she could do in this situation. For some reason, Hall's words were unintelligible once more, surrounded by the same grating effect that clung to the voice of the mysterious ghost-turned-armour. The entire conversation had been lost to their group, save Ruby, and they were forced to hold their ground, unable to do anything but stand guard as the Scholar spoke with his armoured opponent.

"What did he say?" Yang's voice rang through the air, asking the question on all of their minds as the students turned their gaze towards Ruby.

Even now, the faunus wasn't quite sure why Ruby was the only one who could understand the armour and the Scholar... but that would have to be a question for later. For now, they had to count their blessings, as it allowed the redheaded leader to relay the conversation back to the rest of the group. Well, some of the conversation; Ruby wasn't used to this sort of task, and had troubles keeping up when she was focused.

And judging by her sudden outburst, everyone knew that Ruby wasn't focused at the moment.

The black-haired huntress threw a curious look towards her leader, a gesture mirrored by the rest of the students as they waited for the girl's response. Clearly, the girl in red was unhappy, almost gritting her teeth as she threw another glare at the armoured warrior. It took her a moment to collect herself, but Ruby finally calmed down enough to answer their question.

"... He said that he's not a person. That he wasn't even born, but made like... someone else. Someone named Himmelmez."

Those words caused the faunus to throw a glare of her own at the Bloody Knight. However, rage quickly fell to the wayside as she heard the name.

It certainly wasn't something that Blake recognized. She was certain no one knew it, for the name was so out-of-place from the rest of the world. Never once has she read about any culture that might've followed that naming convention, nor has she heard anything similar in her books. Not only that, the name itself was so different from modern names that there was no way that particular person could've been around. And that's assuming that it was a name from this world, and not the Scholar's mysterious world.

There's a thought.

"Is that... the name of someone from Rune-Midgard?"

Rather than answer, her leader froze, doubt flashing in the girl's eyes as she returned Blake's curious gaze.

"A-about that... The ghost guy says that the world Hall knows isn't called Rune-Midgard, and that Hall's been getting it wrong this entire time..." Ruby's voice was quiet as she spoke the next words, her eyes turning away from the group as she shifted her gaze back towards the hall monitor. "I don't think Hall's lying... but I don't think the knight guy's lying, either."

"Wait, what? What does that mean?!"

Blake's partner spoke out once again, her voice rising as the blonde brawler turned her gaze on her sister. Unfortunately, the faunus could do little but wonder the same thing; She couldn't hear what tone the two speakers had, and there was no reasonable way of reading the body language of someone who was who wore a full suit of plated armour. Instead, she could only watch Ruby's response, the girl's face growing more confused and desperate as she shouted at the ground.

"I don't know! I don't know what any of this means!"

"Je asdlc um'y h wfqsqwgfr kxltutcb. Qmg, fbguw ezkb!" The voice of the Bloody Knight tore through the air once more, ringing with a metallic echo as it spoke out pure gibberish. This only spurred Ruby onward, her face growing more frustrated as she turned back to the Knight, choosing to yell at that armour instead of the dirt ground.

"He's not defective! He's a person! And I'm not going to stop just because you want to kill him for something he's not even a part of!"

Blake bristled at that statement, shooting another glare at the ghost. If she were in a better mood, she might've pointed out to the armour that he was in no position to declare what measure was a person and what was not. However, she was _not_ in a better mood, and was tempted to attack that armour right then and there, gripping Gambol Shroud as she willed herself to calm down.

It was a gradual process, but one that could be expedited by taking her mind off of it. So, rather than lash out at the ghost, the girl in black turned her attention away from the Bloody Knight, as she settled her gaze on her leader.

"... Ruby? What do you mean by that? What did he say?"

"He said tha-"

Ruby was cut off by another string of words from the ghost. Just as before, Blake couldn't understand a single thing that it said, so she even didn't try to. Instead, she focused on the armoured warrior once more, readying herself for a potential attack. What came instead was a few mysterious words from the Hall monitor, adding more to the unintelligible conversation.

While the words were lost on her, the faunus still noted that things were peaceful; perhaps they weren't going to escalate just yet. The Knight and Scholar exchanged a few more words, before an uneasy silence fell on the group. When she realized that no one else would talk, the Blake slowly turned her attention to Ruby, waiting for her hooded leader to to translate the conversation, as well as continue her explanation from earlier.

One look at the redhead's face told Blake that that wasn't going to happen. She looked... mortified, her face paling as Ruby's eyes widened. Her gaze was no longer on the Bloody Knight, but on their companion, staring straight at the Hall monitor. The silence was finally broken by the quiet words of the girl in red, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Hall? Is that true?"

* * *

Of course it wasn't! But why couldn't he say it? Or rather, why did it sound so unconvincing to him?

The Scholar turned his gaze towards Ruby, confusion filling his mind as he began wracking his brain for an answer. Yet, nothing came, and all he could do was to turn his attention back to the Bloody Knight. Of course he wanted to yell out that it wasn't true, that he didn't carry a fragment of Ymir.

But what other reason was there?

"It seems like I hit a nerve." The Bloody Knight chuckled, almost taunting him if it wasn't for the fact that the Scholar heard more pity than malice. No longer was the Knight prepared to duel, its weapons by its side once again as it stared directly at Hall.

And Hall's attention was nowhere near the living armour. Instead, the Scholar had slipped his hand into his pouch, only to take out the item in question: a small seed that he had taken from his original world of Rune-Midgard. Or was it supposed to be Midgard? He entered this world with broken misconceptions, after all... How much more was wrong? But that was something for later... For now, his gaze remained fixed on the seed of Yggdrasil, the single item that had caused so much, and answered so little.

Bloody Knight had asked him where he had found it, and when Hall tried to answer, his words were ignored. After all, they were an impossibility.

"... But this really is a seed..."

"A Seed? You earnestly believe that you retrieved a seed from the mythical Yggdrasil from defeating a mere monster? Or that adventurers somehow found a way to reach the World Tree, just to sell its fruit?"

Yes. That single point was one he had not considered.

The World Tree was mythical, and it tied all the worlds together: Niflheim, Rune-Midgard... Even the world where Satan Morroc had attempted to flee to was connected to the World Tree. And he had somehow convinced himself that mere merchants sold pristine leaves from this mythical tree, that he had somehow acquired the seed of Yggdrasil from killing an alligator monster.

It took the words of a vengeful spirit to show him how wrong he was. How could a simple beast have acquired a seed of yggdrasil? The answer was, of course, that it couldn't. That only left one question, and the Scholar brought up the 'seed'.

"Then what is this thing?!"

"What else could it be, but a fragment of the Heart of Ymir?" Neither the Bloody Knight nor the Scholar missed Ruby's expression. After all, he had said that he was unrelated to the fragment, and now it turns out that he was carrying a piece all along. No, that's not right, that was just his opponent trying to get at him. This seed of Yggdrasil is nothing like that thing in Lighthalzen.

"To think, you even tried to convince them that it was a piece of the World Tree."

"Why are you so certain that this is a piece of Ymir's?" It was a last bit of defiance, as the Scholar glared back at the massive armour. He slipped the item back into his pouch, no longer trusting himself to look at it, keeping his gaze fixed on the Bloody Knight.

"... What do you think I am, puppet? A simple ghost?" The revenant shook its head, as if dismissing the rest of the Scholar's little protests. It held no interest in Hall's petty words, quickly cutting through as the living armour made its position clear. "I already told you what the Valkyrie, Himmelmez had done to Glastheim. I was merely one of the victims, twisted and corrupted by the Heart of Ymir that we tried to safeguard. She turned us into these _things_ , warped me into this bloodied armour that you see before you."

Both the Scholar and the leader of Team RWBY realized that the revenant was not the only armour. Were all Raydrics simply people who were corrupted by the Heart of Ymir?

"I was not the only victim. An entire city disappeared because of your kind. But I've returned, and my mind is unbroken for once. But that's not what you asked, was it? So I'll just tell you." The Bloody Knight answered their unspoken question, and so much more as it drew its blade. "I've already felt its power, and I can feel it again inside that seed. I will destroy you and that fragment, so that that tragedy will never be repeated again."

At those words, the living armour finally readied itself, settling into a combat stance as it began focusing its energies into its blade. The serrated edge of that massive blade slowly began to glow, surrounding the metal with a pure-white gleam.

With its preparations complete, the armoured warrior turned its attention towards Ruby. The girl in question was silent, her eyes fixed to the floor, barely able to pay attention as she tried to collect her own thoughts. However, that would have to happen later, for the Bloody Knight's voice rang out one last time.

"Now that you truly understand what has come to pass, I shall give you one final warning: Stand down, Child. You and your companions."

Hall wasn't able to read the expression on Ruby's face as she stared back at him.


	44. A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (3)

**Chapter 44**  
 **A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (3)**

* * *

There was so much she wanted to ask.

Was the ghost armour guy right? Was Hall really just lying to them about the whole Ymir thing? Why wasn't Hall saying anything? Why wasn't he denying anything about carrying the Heart?

... No. That wasn't the only problem, was it? Ruby's eyes were on the Scholar, taking note of every action he chose to take. From drawing forth the seed of Yggdrasil, to questioning the Knight about his accusation, the red reaper had a clear view of Hall's face as his emotions shifted from indignant, to frustrated, to simply lost. But as she watched the hall monitor's face shift, one thing became clear: he was just as lost as she was. Hall couldn't answer any of her unspoken questions, simply because he _couldn't_.

But that didn't stop the living armour from pressing onward, its voice growing louder each time it asked Hall a piercing question. Yet, the Hall monitor was unable to muster an adequate response, as none of the words he had spoken were enough to sway the monster.

Monster... That wasn't accurate, was it?

All this time, it had been trying to keep the students away from their conflict, even if it was threatening them into doing so. There was a small part of her that tried to reason that away, saying that the Bloody Knight was only doing it so he'd have to fight less people, but that part was probably due to Weiss's influence. And Weiss wasn't really the best at reading people, so she's probably wrong!

Ruby shook her head, clearing her thoughts as she settled her gaze back on the massive armour. Perhaps she was just being naive, but Ruby knew that, if it cared enough to keep them out of the conflict, the Bloody Knight couldn't be a bad person... Right? She had to try.

"Do you two really have to fight?" Ruby's voice was meek, soft enough to be missed as she turned towards the living armour.

Fortunately, it seemed that her words had reached the Bloody Knight. However, there was no mistaking its answer as it returned the red leader's gaze, the empty visor bearing down at her as it spoke out, its voice slow and deliberate.

"What sort of question is that, child? Did you not hear what I said?"

Ruby shuffled in her spot, looking down at the ground as she tried to pick out her words. She wasn't like Weiss or Blake, who were always knew what to say... In fact, she was terrible with saying the right thing, often stumbling over her words so badly that even her sister called her out. But, despite her diffculties, she couldn't let that affect her now; She was the leader of Team RWBY, and this was something very important.

"... Y-you said that it was someone named Himmel-something who attacked you, right? So... Why do you and Hall have to fight?"

"Hall? You mean the puppet. I've already expla-"

"Stop calling him that!" Ruby's voice flared up, far louder than her meek tone from earlier as she tried glared at the armour. Her sudden outburst stunned the massive figure for a few moments, as the child of 15 years fixed her gaze at the ancient armour. Still, despite her voice and her frown, she wasn't angry so much as frustrated; Ruby honestly couldn't understand why the ghost kept insisting on Hall not being a person.

"... No. He is a fabrication, and like the rest of his kin, he blindly serves his god, acting without regard for the world around him."

"He's different! Not once has he mentioned a god or anything like that!"

"You honestly believe that he'd do something so blatant? You truly are a child. Why would he say anything, when you all so blindly believe him?" That last question was spoke with a certain amount of... conviction. She could feel something hanging onto the Knight's metallic tone, some hint of emotion in his voice as the ghost emphasized those last few words. "Let me ask you this, instead. Has the pawn ever done anything _suspicious_?"

"... Well..."

"And yet, you still questi-... What is that?"

It was a quiet drone at first, a distant hum that seemed to fill the skies. However, that sound steadily grew louder, drawing closer and closer to their location as the sound of massive dust-powered engines grew louder. Ruby's eyes widened in surprise, as did the rest of the students, turning towards the source to see a distant Bullhead. And even from such a distance, the girl in red was able to make out the familiar sight of her teachers, staring out from the open side of the dustplane.

"It's our teachers!"

Ruby was elated, and her decision was clear. If they were able to hold off the ghost for just a few moments, they'd be able to resolve the entire conflict. I mean, at worst, the teachers would still be able to ensure sure everyone was okay, and at best, they'd be able to mediate everything so that no one has to fight! She made her intentions clear, turning to face her teammates as she smiled at them.

"They can help stop the fight, then we can talk it out and go back to Beacon! No one has to get hurt!"

As if to refute her words, a sudden black fog rolled in, drowning everything in an unnatural darkness as it washed over the forest. Ruby's eyes widened, knowing full well what caused this sudden change, turning her gaze back to the Scholar just in time to see his silhouette wave back at them. He threw... something into the Blinding Mists, before shouting out at the group.

"Follow the teachers back to Beacon. That's an order, and you can complain at Ozpin if you don't like it. Do _not_ follow us."

Why? Why was Hall doing something so drastic now? They were right there! She wouldn't let the hall monitor do something so stupid, not when they could solve everything like responsible people. Without even bothering to consider his order, Ruby's semblance flickered, leaving a trail of rose petals behind her as she dashed out of the fog. However, just as quickly as she started, she was halted, suddenly bound by magical webs.

Of course he'd do that.

The webs completely covered the forest clearing, littering the grassy field with a glowing lattice of magical energy. And, at the edge of the treeline, Ruby saw the source of the webs, with the Scholar standing in the distance as he continued throwing out more of his creations. Only the spot around the Bloody Knight remained clear, a single path of unmarred grass leading the living armour into the forest. But why?

"If you want me, Knight, then come and get me."

Oh, that's why. Because Hall was an idiot.

Ruby could do nothing but struggle against the magical bindings, watching as the Scholar took out something from his pouch. A loud crack echoed through the air as Hall broke that mysterious item, before running off into the distance at a blinding speed. The Bloody Knight followed, and both figures disappeared from sight, leaving the students behind in a fog of darkness.

* * *

"... You're quite the curious pawn, aren't you? To think that you'd do something so drastic to your companions." The tinny echo of the Knight's voice filled the trees as the two tore through the foliage. The Scholar's motions were nimble, weaving around tree, bush, and branch, while the Bloody Knight chose the direct approach of barreling through the flora. The revenant allowed its gaze to fall behind them for just a moment, gazing on the Scholar's handiwork as it disappeared into the distance. "And when they pledged to assist you, no less."

Hall made no attempt to refute the statement, pulling out another Authoritative Badge from his pouch. He was more focused on the path in front of him, darting through the trees as he snapped the artifact in half, more of the magic filling him with greater speed as it carried him onward. "Your target was me, correct? And I had to ensure that the students could safely depart from the forest. Since the Bullhead was on its way, this was a prompt solution to all issues at hand."

"An odd point of view, but that is not my concern." The Bloody Knight sped forward, ignoring the weight of his armour as he crashed through another tree, uprooting it entirely in a powerful charge. And though the armoured warrior did not carry the same magical items as the Scholar, it was fully capable of matching his speed, as the massive figure lunged forward with sweeping strides.

"... You certainly are different from your predecessor. That Valkyrie chose to make use of everyone that stood in her way, all for the sake of her goddess."

"How many times do I have to say that I'm nothing like her?" Even as they argued, the two ran through the forest as the larger figure chased the smaller one. Once more, they were deep in the woods of the Emerald Forest, surrounded by countless trees as they ventured further into the woods. Both ignored their surroundings, paying no heed to the world around them even as the creatures of Grimm began to make themselves known.

Which was dangerous, because Hall had received a sudden message from his Scroll at that moment, and had chosen to respond mid-stride.

An Ursa revealed itself, roaring at the irresponsible hall monitor as it tried to lash out at the young man. Instead, its claws met empty air as the Scholar dove out of the way, his own attack firing off. A wave of frost shot out, leaving a trail of icicles on the ground as the magic struck the bear grimm. The creature found itself frozen solid within a bloom of ice, no longer able to bellow in anger, leaving the scene blissfully quiet as Hall finished his message. And with that out of the way, the young man pocketed the device, before finally turning back around to continue his words.

"I'm an adventurer, one who journeyed through the world of Rune-Midgard slaying monsters! Why do you keep insisting that I'm anything like Himmelmez?!"

Of course, the revenant had watched the entire exchange, but he had no idea what had just occurred. Rather than question it, however, he followed the Scholar deeper into the woods. Their path was growing thicker, both with foliage and with monsters, as more beasts of grimm began stumbling on the pair. The Bloody Knight used his sheer physical presence to carve out a path, driving through the countless grimm in front of it, ignoring the monsters as he roared back at the Scholar.

"Because you know not what you speak of! There is no world named Rune-Midgard, only this world of Midgard."

"This world isn't Midgard! It's Remnant! Just ask anyone!"

That sudden tidbit of information cause the armour's crimson eyes to flicker, blinking within his shadowed visor in surprise as the ghost processed the statement. Still, that was not enough to deter the revenant as he continued his pursuit, ignoring everything else in his way.

"... What they call it is irrelevant. The issue is that you refuse to acknowledge your position in the world."

"Oh yeah? Well, you're getting on my case just because I got a name wrong, so _there_!"

Those words were thrown out with a far louder voice than the ones prior, as the tone of the Scholar turned far less formal. Honestly, the way Hall had spoken out a tad more Ruby-esque than he intended it to be, and the Scholar did not miss that little fact. Rather than try to justify it, however, he turned his attention to the space in front of him, sending off a few more bolts of ice down the path, clearing away some more of the growing pack of grimm.

The Bloody Knight was not deterred by the Scholar's attempt at deflection, the sudden destruction of grimm doing nothing to change the fact that Hall had acted... childish, for lack of a better term. Once again, this wasn't necessarily his concern, sot he armoured warrior chose to ignore it in favour of another issue. As the living armour smashed through a wounded Ursa, it shouted out towards at the Scholar in front of him. "Just how long do you plan on running?"

"Actually... I think I'm done with that now."

And just like that, Hall stopped in his tracks, no longer willing to run as he slowly turned around to face the Bloody Knight. The armoured warrior matched the Scholar's action, no longer charging through countless grimm as he slowed to a halt, his massive form fixed on the Scholar. The Bloody Knight ignored the creatures around them, the howl of Beowolves and roars of Ursa acting as nothing more than noise to the imposing figure.

"So you chose to lead us into this den of monsters?"

"Well, better us than the students, right? But more importantly, I wanted to confirm something." The Hall monitor gave a smirk, all semblance of his previous tone fading away as it was replaced by the inquisitive mind of a Scholar. His hand quickly slipped into his pouch, searching through the container before eventually taking out a particular item. "It seems you really doubt my origins, so we should put that to the test, shouldn't we?"

"I am here only for the duel." Choosing to ignore the sudden shift in behaviour, the Bloody Knight spoke out, reminding the Scholar of what their entire conflict was in the first place. The revenant had to redeem his fallen comrades in the field of honour, yet the person before him dismissed it entirely, as the Scholar had taken out an odd-looking branch instead. "Unless that stick is your chosen weapon."

"Nonsense. You can't use a Dead Branch as a weapon. But that confirms that you don't recognize this item, so I'll have to ask you to pay attention. This item was something from my world, and once I show you its purpose, you'll have no choice but to accept my position!"

Without even waiting for the living armour to confirm this line of thought, the Scholar activated the item. With a single light motion, he snapped the Branch in half, tossing the broken twig onto the ground. This was met with a curious look by the ghost, but that sensation immediately gave way to tension as he felt some unknown power stir.

There was a glow around the remains of the Dead Branch, the very air growing heavy as the powers of the artifact took hold. This power felt... natural, yet intrinsically _unnatural_ , the result of Hall's items being infused with Aura. Yet, the Bloody Knight was left without this knowledge, and all it felt was the corrupting shadows of the puppet's power converge onto a single spot.

Then, with a surge of light, the Branch faded, replaced by a completely new presence. Where the brittle remains of a dead branch once stood, there was only a monster in its place, thoroughly alien in its origin, twisted by the light of this world.

Hall blinked in dismay as he looked at the ... Thief Bug. Honestly, he expected something more, but the random nature of the branch meant anything was possible. Still, he didn't expect to summon a cockroach, especially one that looked so unconventional. Rather than a normal thief bug, this particular conjuration differed in aesthetics, as its brown chitin was marked with sporadic black pigments. However, it wasn't that colour choice that bothered the Scholar.

It was the fact that there a half-formed plate of white that covered the front of the tiny insect.

And just as quickly as it came into existence, it disappeared, one part of the Scholar finally taking note of the fact that he had summoned a foot-long cockroach monster. Before he could even articulate his spell, the man conjured forth a spike of ice, impaling the tiny insect in a single stroke of magic.

"... You used the Power of the Heart of Ymir to create something." To say that the Bloody Knight was unimpressed by the display would be an understatement. "I ... do not understand your point."

"... It seemed like a good idea at the time, okay?"

"Can we begin?"

"Sure, whatever."

And with that, their fight began proper.

* * *

The Headmaster wasn't quite sure what had just happened. It was unfortunate that the language barrier had asserted itself, for the man truly wanted to know about the circumstances that led to Hall pulling out a branch from his pouch.

More to the point, he was interested in why that branch seemed to conjure forth a creature that looked remarkably similar to a creature of grimm.

Ozpin's brow furrowed as he took a sip from his mug, his gaze fixed on the holodisplay as he watched the hall monitor and the animate armour. His cameras afforded him a clear overview of the conflict, and the first thing he saw was the Bloody Knight charge forward, its towering frame deceptively fast as it kicked off the ground, leaving a trail of scattered blades of grass behind as it swung its own serrated blade directly at the Scholar.

In return, the Scholar burned away some dust, invoking one of his many magical skills as a pillar of magenta surrounded the man. Hall had used this skill in the past to great effect, and there was no change this time, as the light stood against the cleaving strike of his opponent's blade, leaving the Scholar himself unharmed. And the moment that attack failed, Hall acted, conjuring orbs of frost into the air, intent on skewering his opponent with the bolts of magical ice.

... That was another thing that intrigued Ozpin. Hall had called it magic, and his abilities certainly were well above the capabilities of Dust, Aura, and Semblances... But the Headmaster of Beacon knew one irrevocable fact: Whatever Hall was doing, it most certainly was _not_ magic.

Before he could ponder on this further, however, a telltale chime echoed from his Scroll, and the headmaster was forced to drag his attention away from the fight. With a few taps on the device, the blank Scroll display was replaced by the concerned expression of his colleague, her eyes staring straight at him through the holodisplay.

"Ozpin, just what is going on?"

"What do you mean, Glynda?" The headmaster stared back, his gaze level with the blonde teacher as he took a sip from his mug. He was fairly certain what his colleague was calling him about, but Ozpin wanted to be sure that there weren't other complications as well.

Glynda brought a hand up to her face, pushing the bridge of her glasses up as she adjusted them, irritation steadily growing in her voice. "... According to Miss Rose, you instructed Mr. Hall to fight against the armoured opponent by himself. Not only that, but she also believes that, because of these orders, Mr. Hall chose to eschew diplomacy in favour of putting himself at risk."

This was certainly a concern that he had to address, and as much as Ozpin would've liked to pass this off to the Hall monitor himself. Sure, he had given the Scholar the orders, but that was because the young man seemed resolute in choosing that task to begin with. And as perceptive as he was, the Headmaster had no clue what Hall's initial reasons were for wanting to duel with the Armour.

"Is Miss Rose nearby?"

"Yes, she is."

And it seemed that he did not have the luxury of referring the red leader's questions to the hall monitor in question. With that fact established, Ozpin took a few moments to gather his thoughts, taking a single sip from his mug before finally speaking out.

"Ah, in that case, it's because I had instructed him to go through the ruins in order to elude his pursuer. I am monitoring his progress with the perimeter security cameras, and I have an extraction vehicle on standby, ready to pick him up the moment he's succeeded in his task." It was simple, and it may not address all of the girl's concerns, but Ozpin was confident that it was enough for now.

"I see..." Glynda did not seem convinced by his statement, however. "And if I said she wasn't, and I wanted to hear the real reason?"

"... Is she nearby?"

Not that it mattered anymore, since his assistant all but said that his previous reasoning was a lie. Ozpin let out a sigh, taking a longer drink from his mug this time. He was now hoping that the leader of Team RWBY wasn't nearby, and that Glynda's questions were her way of trying to uncover his motivations.

So there was no reason not to be honest.

"Very well. I'll be frank: multiple grimm were converging on the students' positions, with numbers far exceeding seasonal norms." This time, he sent over some of the footage from the perimeter cameras to Glynda's Scroll, transferring over images of countless Beowolves, Ursa, and Boarbatusks. "They seemed to be attracted to Mr. Hall and his associate, and I did not want to put the students in harm's way. I contacted him on his Scroll to inform him of the incoming grimm, and it seems he chose to remain behind so that the students could escape."

Glynda took a few moments to look at the files, her attention turned away from the conversation display as she began poking at her scroll. A few moments later, her attention returned to the headmaster. "... This is indeed serious. However, I do not believe that his choice in playing bait was the correct one. More accurately, I disapprove of the method he took to play bait. Not to mention that he has no method of escape."

Ah, yes. Ozpin had also found the Scholar's departure to be unexpected, and he could only agree with his associate in that regards. After all, there was no guarantee that the grimm would've followed him, and he had left the students completely defenseless. Even if the Bullhead was in the area, there was a chance that the students would've been attacked, and the headmaster frowned at that thought. To say that that was grossly irresponsible would be an understatement.

"I certainly agree that Mr. Hall should've handled his removal improperly. The moment he returns, I believe we'll have to lecture him on the responsibilities of someone in his position." And he wasn't saying that just to placate Glynda, either. The students under his care are just that: under his care. The last thing he wanted was for them to suffer at the hands of their allies, as misguided as that ally may be.

"... As for his escape method, I asked him about that myself. He merely said to not worry about it. I assume he has his own plan to-"

Before he could finish that sentence, a loud explosion erupted from the security perimeter's holodisplay. Ozpin turned his attention back to the camera, just in time to catch the sight of meteors crashing into the earth, the orbs of fiery destruction slowly tearing apart the Emerald Forest.


	45. A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (4)

**Chapter 45**  
 **A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (4)**

* * *

The air burned.

There was no other way to describe it, as massive orbs of pure fire descended on the forest. The resultant explosions tore through earth and trees, splintering the defenseless foliage into burning fragments, if not incinerating them outright. Ash and smoke billowed from the crater, the ground littered with scorchmarks and still-smoldering scraps of wood, all the result of the Bloody Knight's power.

This was wrong.

The Scholar furrowed his brow at that thought, his gaze shifting from the wreckage back to the Bloody Knight, trying to figure out what had changed. After all, something must've happened for those magical orbs of fire to change so drastically; unlike the last encounter, where the monster's meteors only exploded in violent blasts, these meteors burned the very air, bathing the entire area in an intense heat. Already, this part of the forest began to burn, and the Scholar was hard-pressed to understand why.

At least, he would've been, if he wasn't in the middle of avoiding said meteors; thankfully, the ambient heat didn't actually bother him, and rather than question why, the young man made use of his apparent resistance by retreating from the colossal fireballs.

Not that the Bloody Knight allowed him this much movement.

The armoured warrior charged forward, acting the minute the meteor storm had ceased, its serrated blade glowing with a white light for just a moment before it unleashed a massive horizontal swing. Wood splintered as the Knight's blade caught the environment in a massive arc, bisecting countless trees in that single motion as the vengeful revenant focused its attack on the Scholar.

A metallic growl echoed out from the Bloody Knight's helmet as the warrior caught the telltale flash of pink, his blade stopping suddenly against the glowing light of his target's Safety Wall. The air cracked at the sudden stop, as the magenta light flickered beneath the blade before finally fading away. Still, it managed to do its job of halting the Bloody Knight's attack, which drew an annoyed growl from the armour. Which meant a counterattack would be arriving.

All it took was a single burst of instinct as the armoured warrior raised his shield upwards, the heavy mass of metal shooting up just in time to catch a flurry of frost bolts, warding off the magical assault.

Hall frowned at the failed attack, collecting his spiritually energy once again, firing off another wave of frozen bolts. Just like his last volley, this cluster of ice pinged ineffectually against his opponent's defense, but it brought the Scholar the cover he needed to change his tactics. He quickly retreated back towards the dwindling treeline, throwing out magical webbing to cover his withdrawal.

"... Your tricks will not work." The Bloody Knight saw this action, and merely chose to give out a commanding tone instead, its gaze directed squarely to Hall.

The Scholar didn't miss the armoured warrior shift in stance, catching it just in time to watch the revenant charge forward. And just as suddenly, the Bloody Knight stopped, pausing just before it reached the first cluster of magical webbing as it brought its shield upwards. His shield shimmered with a blue light for just a moment, before the Knight drove the mass of metal back downwards, striking the earth with a single powerful stroke. Reeling from the shock, the ground itself rippled with magical energy, as spikes of rock radiated outwards from the ghostly armour, tearing apart the magic that held those webs together.

That was _not_ a Bloody Knight skill.

Hall cursed himself for his lapse in judgement; He already knew that the Bloody Knight had originally been a Royal Guardsman, which meant that it probably had access to far more skills than a normal Bloody Knight. But despite his misstep, the Scholar did not intend to give his opponent a second strike, as he began molding his Spiritual Power into something more pliable.

Another cluster of ice collected before him, forming a sphere of pure ice as the scholar fired off the mass of magic, leaving a trail of frost in its wake as it whirled through the air, before finally striking against the Bloody Knight's shield.

A plume of ice erupted moments later, engulfing his opponent in a frigid prison, before three more icy blasts followed suit. Magical icicles attempted to impale the Knight's armour, the air echoing with the continuous sound of ice striking metal. Yet, the Scholar's attacks did little to his opponent, and Hall could only frown as the armoured knight began struggling against his frozen prison.

So, the Scholar changed tactics entirely. If his opponent was truly a ghost, then he shall treat it as such.

Spiritual Power gathered around the Scholar as he began to manifest his magic, not as elemental forces, but as something to strike against the very soul. The moment the Bloody Knight broke free from his icy prison, Hall unleashed his spell, as bolts of pure spiritual energy shot forward at the living armour.

An unnatural scream ripped through the air.

And just as quickly, it was replaced by a frenzied growl as the Bloody Knight shook off the pain. His crimson eyes settled on the Scholar, no longer content on merely defeating his opponent as the warrior's shield began glowing with energy. The mass of metal flickered with a white hum as the Knight drew his shield arm back, only to arc through the air as he snapped his arm forward once more, the shield guided by the revenant's influence as it collided with the Scholar. Hard.

Pain shot through the young man, unable to react to the sudden strike, feeling the stinging sensation against his body as the Scholar watched the shield return to its owner. Rather than risk another strike, the Scholar deployed another Safety Wall, surrounding himself in the magenta pillar as he gathered his energy—A simple, methodical process that suited a spellcaster such as himself.

Which meant the Bloody Knight saw it coming, and immediately prepared his own spell.

Bringing its blade skyward, the Knight invoked his own power, as familiar orbs of fire descended once more, bathing the field in a raging conflagration. The Scholar had little choice but to step out of his sanctuary, stepping away right before a meteor blasted that spot in the dirt. If he hadn't been so focused on his spell, Hall might've been able to cancel the Bloody Knight's own magic; instead, he had to deal with another storm of fire, unable to focus on the armoured warrior as he attempted to dodge streaks of explosive heat.

The Bloody Knight had no such limitation, nor did it have any reason to give the Scholar room to recover. Instead, the armour charged forward, its towering frame covering the distance in massive strides, keeping its shield up to deflect any errant bolts of magic.

Fortunately for the Scholar, this protected advance meant that the Knight could be caught unawares, and the young man immediately cancelled his current spell as he dispersed his spiritual power. Just as quickly, he manifested something new, tossing yet another magical web on the ground, frowning as his cobweb catalysts dwindled more and more. But, it was worth it, and the Bloody Knight soon found itself wrapped around in the enchanted webbing, locking its movements in place for a few scant moments.

These moments were plenty of time for the Scholar as he unleashed a hail of fire bolts, his magical blaze striking against the living armour, the webs igniting to augment the growing inferno, wearing away at the Bloody Knight's endurance.

But it was not enough, and the Knight was more than capable of enduring. Another ethereal roar echoed from the revenant, and his opponent's shield shimmered. The Ghost of the Royal Guard made its skill known, channeling his magic through the massive shield as he held it up into the air as it invoked his Shield Spell.

To the Scholar, he saw the Bloody Knight somehow invoke Magnificat, a nearly useless skill that only doubled Spiritual Power regeneration.

But to the rest of Remnant? They saw aura itself wrap around the Royal Guard, as the ghost rekindled his soul.

* * *

The Emerald Forest howled. Glynda Goodwitch frowned at the sound, her eyes gazing back to the shrinking woods.

Even before all this, she was unsure of the Headmaster's plan, as the blonde teacher never liked the idea of students playing hero. Of course, she had no doubts that Ozpin felt the same, and under normal circumstances, Glynda had no doubt that her friend would've ordered the Hall monitor to return. But she knew that these were hardly normal circumstances.

Ozpin sent her the security feed, and Glynda knew full well that the sheer number of grimm in the area was worryingly abnormal. Even older species of Deathstalkers began to stir, crawling out of ancient burrows as they made their way to the center of the forest.

The center that was now on fire. After all, no one could miss the meteors that had descended there.

"... Can't we help him?" The timid voice of Ruby Rose shook the instructor out of her thoughts, as the leader of Team RWBY settled her gaze on the distant flames, tiny orbs of fire that fell on the burning woods. Of course, they all knew the answer to that, as the denizens of beacon were all seated inside a Bullhead that was bound for the Academy. And as per the Headmaster's orders, they could not change course.

"Mr. Hall has his own extraction arrangements. You need not worry about him." Glynda's voice was calm and collected as she shook her head, her face settling on the teenager.

"Okay..." Ruby's voice was quiet as she returned to her spot on the Bullhead, giving one last glance to the fading forest.

Glynda's expression remained impassive, but that didn't change the fact that she felt guilty lying to the child. Even if it was lying by omission and the Hall monitor did technically have his own escape plan, the teacher knew nothing about it. Still, Ozpin had apparently received confirmation from the Scholar himself, so she just had to trust that the youth knew what he was doing.

The youth... That thought gave the teacher some pause. Were it a student or any other young adult, there was no doubt that the faculty would've refused this endeavour entirely. Yet, despite his appearances, Hall was certainly not an ordinary young adult, and she had no doubt that this was why Ozpin allowed it at all. They knew nothing about him, save his increasingly fantastical abilities and his increasingly... noticeable idiosyncracies, so they had no choice but to assume that he knew what he was doing.

Which, she admitted, was also risk. After all, he had a strange affinity for odd occurrences, and Glynda was certain that this latest oddity was also related to the Hall monitor. And on that note...

Glynda turned her attention to the newest visitor of Beacon. Even now, she wasn't quite sure _how_ it was possible to interact with a ghost to this degree, as there had been no official sightings of anything remotely similar to ghostly female knight. Of course, she of all people knew that the world was host to far more than what meets the eye, but that didn't change the fact that the teacher was at a loss.

A loss that her colleagues didn't share, apparently.

"You say you are from the Kingdom of Rune-Midgarts? I apologize, but I do not believe I have heard of any kingdom by that name during my time as a historian." Bartholomew was quite occupied in his conversation with the ghost girl, eager to learn about her history.

"I... guessed as much." Unfortunately, the ghostly knight was far less enthused about their discussion topic, her eyes falling to the metal floor of the dustplane. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"Please, think nothing of it. I am happy to assist with whatever concerns you may have." With that said, Oobleck still had tact, and quickly curbed his energy as he nodded to the ethereal woman. "But, if I may ask, what do you intend to do now?"

The question was a valid one, and Glynda kept her gaze squarely on the ghost girl as she waited for an answer. The blonde teacher was not the only one, as she saw the students shift their gaze to Kali from the corner of her eye.

"Would it be alright if I stayed at your academy?" The ghost girl gave a worried look to the teachers, her gaze slowly drifting between the three adults. "I'm worried about the... Scholar."

"Oh, don't worry about him." Port's voice immediately sounded out, trying to reassure the ghostly knight, as well as the rest of the students in the bullhead as he smiled at them. "That young man's got a good head on his shoulders. I'm certain he'll be fine."

Glynda saw the female knight's face freeze for just a second, before forcing herself to a smile. Which, in turn, caused the teacher's brow to furrow in response. After all, she could tell that the girl was not worrying about the hall monitor's safety. Which meant that she had another reason entirely for worrying about Hall.

But why?

* * *

The Headmaster of Beacon kept his gaze on the holodisplay, a perpetual frown on his face as he took in the scene before him.

The man was rarely one to feel lost in a situation, but he could hardly find a more apt description for his current state. After all, he had been watching the entire conflict between the Scholar and the Bloody Knight, so he could see each and every move that the combatants had made. This also meant that he caught the Scholar's surprise each time his opponent brought in something new.

And he had just brought in something _very_ new.

Ozpin did not miss the flare of aura, something that he had finally realized the ghostly armour had lacked.

But what was more surprising was that Ozpin finally noticed that _Hall_ lacked aura, at least in the traditional sense. How long had it been that way?

...He didn't know for sure, but aged man could certainly make an educated guess. No doubt, this anomaly had something to do with the Seed of Yggdrasil, and by extension, the whole mystery behind the Heart of Ymir. It was unfortunate that he could not understand the conversation the two had with one another, which was why he made a mental note to ask Miss Rose about it once she returned to the Academy.

As his thoughts fell on the young leader, he absently turned his attention to the Bullhead's internal camera, the display clearly showing the students and their new friend. This was one more piece of the puzzle that worried Ozpin; unlike the two combatants in the forest, the ghost named Kali had no difficulty communicating with people. Coupled with the fact that the other ghost was just as fluent before Hall had used his Seed of Yggdrasil, and Ozpin had no doubt that something was amiss. The question wa-

His Scroll rang out.

The man's focus immediately broke, turning instead to his communication device. Few people contacted him directly, especially on this particular device, and the number told Ozpin that his caller was a very influential person. So really, he had no choice but to answer, muting his security displays as he finally accepted the call.

"Good day, Ozpin." The holographic face of James Ironwood flickered to life, as the Atlesian General's gaze settled firmly on the Headmaster of Beacon's.

"Hello James. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Ozpin didn't miss the change in his friend's demeanour in response to his question. In fact, it was fairly hard to miss the frown that had spread on Ironwood's face as the man closed his eyes, letting out a tired sigh before focusing back to him.

"I'm afraid that this is a... business call." Ozpin silently approved of the deliberate phrasing that his friend had used, even as he frowned at the actual statement. The fact that James was skirting around the issue meant that it was important, and perhaps outside his immediate reach. And unfortunately, Ironwood quickly answered Ozpin's internal question of _what_ the issue was. "Just to be sure, you wouldn't happen to know what I'm calling about, would you? A few... associates of mine have reported something odd in the Emerald Forest."

Ozpin turned his gaze back to the security camera, just in time to catch the sight of another meteor storm rain down on the aforementioned forest, the massive armour dodging away from a flurry of ice bolts as it tried to strike at the Hall monitor.

Unfortunately, Ozpin wasn't quite sure _how_ to explain this little incident away. "The Emerald Forest? What were your associates doing out there of all places?" At least, not without a serious amount of deflection, first. As much as he disliked this, political dances were a part of the job description.

* * *

The Scholar was growing more and more desperate in his attacks. Just how was his opponent doing so well?

If the Bloody Knight was considered durable before that odd Magnificat invocation, he was obscenely more powerful now. This worried the Hall monitor, of course, but it also served the important role of informing him that something was very wrong. What that was remains to be seen, however, and the Scholar quickly cleared his thoughts, giving himself enough time to duck away from another sweeping blade.

He was on the defensive, and that had to change.

Once more, he tried to call in a Blinding Mist, fog filling up the forest in an unnatural shroud. And, just as he expected, the Bloody Knight reacted by invoking his magic, summoning forth fiery meteors from the sky. But he was a Scholar, and ready for the cast this time as he invoked his own spiritual power, shattering the Bloody Knight's magical spell construct, cancelling the mystical meteor storm.

The Bloody Knight wasted no time reacting to the sudden interruption, changing his strategy entirely as he slammed his his shield down against the ground. As before, the moment that metallic plate struck the earth, another wave of rock spikes shot upwards around the Ghost of the Royal Guard, his attack completely dispelling the magical fog of the Blinding Mist.

However, even if his advantage was stripped away, the Hall monitor was not out of tricks. Hall took the opportunity to draw back, putting some distance between them as he burned away a vial of earth dust, using the powder as a catalyst as he attempted to petrify the Bloody Knight. He saw the armoured warrior's motions slow, struggling against his intended actions as the Bloody Knight's movements gradually came to a stop.

Hall didn't care how long it would last, or whether the spell would even hold for more than a few seconds; What was important was the brief moment of reprieve that allowed him time to gather his power.

The Scholar launched another web before the Bloody Knight, leaving a nasty surprise the moment his opponent broke free. This in itself was hardly enough, and Hall was well aware of that as he began his next preparations. The young man burned away more of his dust, slowly surrounded himself within the influence of a magical field's dominion, casting Volcano as he felt the very air heat up.

A volley of firebolts followed, each magical flame drawing in the ambient blaze within the Volcano's influence, flaring brighter as he shot the orbs of flame forward.

Explosions rang out, fair quieter than he had expected them to be, and the Scholar only frowned as he spotted the reasons why. Rather than detonating properly, the Bloody Knight had freed himself from his petrified prison, which had given the living armour more than enough time to avoid the fire bolts. The few that did hit him glanced harmlessly off of the massive shield, while the ones that missed continued flying into the treeline, disappearing int-

That's when he realized that his firebolts had hit something _else_. Hall threw another cluster of fire bolts at the Ghost of the Royal Guard, putting in just enough effort to force the Knight to defend. This gave the Scholar plenty of time to examine what his previous attack had hit.

The answer? An Ancient Deathstalker. But this wasn't any standard Deathstalker; Instead, this variant seemed far more... pristine, its chitinous plating was so utterly different from previous ones that he couldn't tell if the Deathstalker was a younger or older species. Rather than taking on the appearance of worn rock, this Deathstalker's chitin was distinctly angular, a sleek design that served to complement the individual segments of its grimm-bone exoskeleton.

Just as important to note were the pincers, massive clusters of grimmbone that had somehow been sharpened to a lethal point. While the Scholar was certain a Safety wall could resist one, the way that Ancient Grimm moved about seemed to suggest it was fast enough to overwhelm his defenses before he could properly react. If it was smart enough to do so, at least.

And the Scholar was on the fence about the grimm's intelligence, until the beast finally decided to let out an ear-piercing shriek; one that had been followed the howls and snarls countless grimm.

Hall stopped for just a moment, taking a look around his surroundings, to find that both he and the Bloody Knight had been surrounded by almost every single grimm in this blasted forest.


	46. A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (5)

**Chapter 46**  
 **A Glimpse of Yggdrasil (5)**

* * *

Neither the Bloody Knight nor the Scholar were fools.

While they had been locked in a heated duel mere moments ago, both combatants recognized the new threat that had surrounded them. Instinct told the Royal Guardsman that the shadow beasts were the bigger threat, while knowledge informed the Scholar that grimm gave no heed to petty affiliations.

The Ancient Deathstalker confirmed the two combatants' inferences, its bone-white form bearing down on them as the massive creature settled its gaze on the two. As with all grimm, the scorpion monster cared not for the petty conflicts of humans, showing no signs of leaving them be as it let out an ominous growl.

After all, grimm only had one enemy, and this old beast was no different from its brethren, driving its massive claws into the ground as it let loose a piercing shriek.

That cry reverberated through the forest, drawing yet more grimm as the lesser beasts joined its kin. Countless shadows poured in from the woods, adding to the growing horde as the snarls of Beowolves and Ursa filled the air, screeching in concert with the Ancient Deathstalker's own thundering cry. Within moments, the two warriors were completely surrounded by the monsters, each creature holding their formation, barely holding back their instincts as the monsters waited for the time to strike.

Only a single moment was spared as the Scholar and the Bloody Knight shared a glance with one another, as if asking each other a single unspoken question.

Then that moment passed.

The Scholar threw himself to the side, ducking out of the way just in time to avoid the Bloody Knight's massive shield as it tore through the air. Narrowly missing the spot where he had just been, the plate of metal continued onward, eventually striking an Ursa with a solid stroke, as the skull shield crushed the monster's arm with a sickening sound. Just as quickly as it arrived, the shield departed, whistling through the air as it returned to the revenant's side.

But Hall was not idle, and the moment he landed back on his feet, he invoked his own power. The air around the Scholar ignited, orbs of fire slowly manifesting for just a moment, before he fired them at the Bloody Knight. A wave of firebolts struck, exploding against the living armour's metallic form to little effect.

The melee ensued, and the throng of grimm joined the fray, waves of monsters charging forward at both the Scholar and the Bloody Knight in mass of fang and claws.

The Scholar hopped backwards, trying to gain some distance as he left behind a wall of pure fire, warding off the grimm for a few scant moments. That moment was enough for him to act, forcing his spiritual energy to the ground as he invoked Heaven's Drive. A magical ring of white glyphs appeared below the grimm, but none of the beasts noticed, their gaze locked on the fire wall. By the time the grimm decided to push through the magical flames, it was too late, the Scholar's magic taking hold as spikes of earth drove up into the grimm.

Despite this setback, however, more monsters came, as a ravenous pack of beowolves threw themselves at the wall of fire, bypassing the obstacle through sheer strength. And though they had finally pierced the magical barrier, the price of entry was high, as flames tore at the grimm with an unnatural heat. The pack had certainly thinned, the Scholar's blaze having dissolved the weaker ones into nothing more than grimmsmoke and ashes, while the ones that endured were scorched and burnt.

But they had endured, so the beasts continued their attacks, ignoring their own wounds as they charged towards the Scholar once more.

The Scholar did not allow it, conjuring a second, then a third inferno. But unlike before, the beasts were prepared, immediately coming to a halt as only the weakest of the survivors charged into the blaze. The rest of the pack was far more intelligent, having enough restraint to wait for reinforcements as the pack's Alpha Beowolf kept its gaze on its prey. The rest of the wolves slowly circled around the young man, waiting for the wall of fire to die down, so that they could strike once more. At least, that's what they would've done, were they not assaulted by a wave of firebolts, conjured through the Scholar's power as flaming arcs struck the pack of lesser grimm.

The creatures of grimm soon recognised that Hall was not easy prey. But for all of the Scholar's magical tricks and spells, the Bloody Knight was far more deadly.

Unlike the Scholar, the Bloody Knight had no need for pointless flare, its massive blade cleaving through lesser grimm with ease as he bisected countless Beowolves in a single blow. That single swing had caught an entire pack, cutting through the creatures with efficient ease, as leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. Even the Alpha Beowolves of the pack, larger and more durable than its younger kin, were incapable of resisting the revenant's directed strike, the serrated edge of his blade tearing apart the swarm of Beowolves.

More monsters arrived, this time wary of the Bloody Knight's strength as they circled around the imposing figure, waiting for the towering warrior to drop his guard. Some stood at his flank, searching for a weakness in his stance, while others began gathering behind him.

But rather than loosen his stance, the Bloody Knight took advantage of his new position, his shield striking the ground as earthen spikes shot up and outwards. That single display of power was enough to strike at his opponents, covering the area around him in a vengeful field of rocky spikes, skewering more of the shadow beasts in a powerful wave. This wave of rock stretched beyond the shadow beasts, the skill's reach extending far beyond the Bloody knight's immediate area as the raw power radiated further. Within moments, the wave of earthen spikes drove towards the Scholar, almost skewering him as it destroyed the shadow wolves around him.

He caught the glare that the young man threw at him, and his shield caught the torrent of icicles that the Scholar had retaliated with. In return, the ghost swung its blade downwards, missing the spot where the Scholar had stood prior. Soon, the surrounding monsters were nothing more than collateral, slashed apart by the Bloody Knight's wide strikes, or burned away by the Scholar's bolts of flame. The two warriors resumed their duel, their attention turned away from the grimm once more.

Or rather, the Bloody Knight's attention was no longer on the grimm.

The Scholar had a far more practical idea, keeping one eye on his surroundings as he began to gather Dust in his hand. The sight of the encroaching grimm gave the Scholar an idea as he activated the catalyst, his eyes shifting between the armoured opponent, and the grimm closest to the revenant.

That grimm was an Ursa minor, who was engulfed in the Scholar's magic.

Dust burned away as Hall's Spiritual Power shimmered in the air, an orange glow that flew towards the monstrous bear, gathering around the grimm as elemental fire wrapped around the creature's claws. The effects of Hall's spell were immediate as the Ursa struck out, flaming claws exploding against the Bloody Knight in a powerful swing, staggering the armoured ghost with a single blast.

Both the Knight and the Ursa noticed this effect, but only the humanoid opponent understood its source. The Bloody Knight shot a glare towards Hall, his gaze bearing down on the Scholar, just in time to spot another flurry of firebolts streak in. In one practiced motion, the revenant brought up his shield, deflecting the spell harmlessly as he turned his attention towards Scholar once more.

Which provided another opportunity for the fire-infused Ursa to strike, a single roar marking its attack as the beast of grimm brought another fiery claw towards its target. There was a metallic curse as the Bloody Knight turned his attention back to the bear, forced once again to leave the Scholar to his own devices.

Hall welcomed the distraction, as his mind quickly settled on his next trick: Soul Siphon.

While the skill had failed last time, the Scholar was confident that it was still the right choice. He didn't miss the telltale cast of Magnificat, nor the fact that it behaved differently in this world of Remnant. Rather than simply augmenting regeneration, Hall had noticed that it had bolstered Bloody Knight with Spiritual Power instead, somehow using it to augment his defensive capabilities, allowing the monster to deflect his elemental bolts with ease.

The logical solution was to use Soul Siphon, to drain that spiritual power entirely. So he did.

In a single instant, he felt the energy leave the Bloody Knight, condensing and coalescing in the very air, as the mass of Spiritual Power formed around the armoured warrior. But, rather than drain away, the power began to tear itself apart, lashing at the very air as it split off into two distinct... dins.

There was no other way to describe it, except that it was a twisted noise, two voices of raw power that thrummed in the air. One was very obviously Spiritual Power, but the other was... lighter, somehow; A faint glow that was so intangible, so surreal, that the Scholar could not mistake it for the Spiritual Power he was targeting.

So he siphoned away the mass of Spiritual Energy, ignoring the other mass of foreign power, letting it return inside the Bloody Knight.

The Bloody Knight screamed once more, the metallic armour around the monster slowly beginning to rip apart. That second power focused itself around the Knight, pulsing with energy as it slowly flickered and shimmered, before finally unleashing itself in a brilliant flash. Nearby grimm recoiled, growling at the sudden burst as they stood their ground, refusing to retreat as the beasts of destruction glared at the all-consuming light.

And the moment that light faded, the Ghost of the Royal Guardsman collapsed to the ground.

* * *

"We can't keep skirting around the issue like this, Ozpin."

The headmaster's associate was quite adamant about his position. Not that Ozpin could blame him, considering the circumstances... But that didn't mean that Beacon's headmaster had to comply. At least, not right away.

So, rather than addressing the issue directly, the green-suited man took another sip from his mug, carefully considering his friend on the holodisplay, deliberately dragging out the seconds. Of course, Ironwood knew what he was doing, but ultimately yielded to him, hoping that Ozpin was doing more than just wasting time as he waited for Ozpin to contribute _something_ to the discussion.

It took a few more glances to the security camera footage, which now showed the Bloody Knight and the Hall monitor locked once again in combat, before the administrator of Beacon finally decided to speak up.

"Indeed we can't, James... So I suppose we should address them. First, before we begin, I'd like to ask you of what you meant by your 'associates'? I was not aware of any Atlesian operatives within Vale, nor do I recall any of our old colleagues visiting this week." There were few reasons for the Kingdom of Vale to accept operatives from Atlas, and since his friend was so serious about this matter, Ozpin had a suspicious inkling that it was related to the council.

Which James promptly confirmed few moments later, appreciative of the fact that Ozpin was finally willing to talk.

"... You know as well as I do that your relationship with the council has been... strained these past few years." That was putting it politely, and not even James could help but frown as he spoke those words. "Coupled with the fact that Beacon will be hosting the Vytal festival this year, is it really that surprising to hear that the Council requested our best operatives to keep an eye on you?"

"Not at all. Still, I'm surprised that you're devoting your elite forces to keep an eye on an old man such as myself." The knowledge of that was... certainly something different. After all, Ozpin had never really considered General Ironwood to be the kind of person to be covert, based on his personality and past experiences.

"Elite? Ozpin, I may have a more relaxed relationship with the council than you do, but not even I agree with all their decisions." Ozpin watched his friend's expression softened as the general let out a sigh, not missing the sight of Ironwood's hand as he slipped inside his coat, only to draw out his favourite flask. "Our forces are needed to keep the peace, not chase after groundless political worries, so I merely posted a few reconnaissance teams in your area. At best, I had three teams inside the city of Vale, as well as the area on the outskirts of your academy. You know, in case I hear something."

Ozpin nodded at Ironwood's words, watching as the man took a sip from the flask. The geadmaster followed his friend's action, taking another sip from his own mug, before he noticed something peculiar; a choice of phrasing that worried the old man. A small frown formed on the headmaster's face as he set down his mug.

"... Had?"

That same frown formed on James Ironwood, his motions paused as he slowly lowered his own drink, pocketing his flask once more as his eyes fixed on the headmaster of Beacon.

"Yes. Had. Two weeks ago, my scouts had reported something strange over at the Emerald Forest. It seems that someone had ordered a late-night deployment of a Bullhead." The general's face was stern as he tried to question his associate. "... Isn't it a little early for Beacon to be sending students off on missions? Unless something _else_ is going on?"

Ozpin was tempted to snark back, but a sudden flash from his security camera immediately took his attention. And while the light was not visible to General Ironwood, the scream that accompanied it certainly something he could hear, snapping the man from his impromptu interrogation as he threw a look of concern to the headmaster.

"Ozpin... What was that?"

The green-suited man frowned, his eyes furrowed as Ozpin pushed his glasses downwards, exposing his eyes to the sight. There was no mistaking it: centered on the security video's holodisplay was a ghostly Knight, collapsed on the floor in a translucent heap, not unlike the one who was currently accompanying the students. And surrounding that fallen figure were countless grimm, each choosing to ignore the defenseless person.

"... That was the answer to your question, James. And unfortunately... I don't know what is going on either."

* * *

The Royal Guard pulled himself back to his feet, gripping the familiar metal of his shield. _His_ shield, not the skull mockery that he had been forced to use for so many years.

Forced?

That was ... one way to put it. And it was also something he hadn't considered before, the thought suddenly springing to mind without rhyme or reason. Before he could question that second observation, the Royal Guard flinched, a headache coming on as he felt his mind slowly begin to piece itself back together, assigning forgotten words and meanings to the wisps of consciousness that steadily began to grow inside him.

And for the first time in ages, the ghostly warrior found himself with clear thoughts.

Of course, that didn't change the fact that he was still without words, unable to comprehend what the Puppet from earlier had done. And the moment he felt that thought take shape, the Royal Guard stopped himself.

Puppet.

He had called the Scholar that, but now his mind was telling him that he was... incorrect. And as the guardsman turned his attention to the Scholar, he was starting to see why. No longer addled by the corruption of Ymir's heart, the Royal Guard finally saw how much the young man had differed from that treacherous Valkyrie. Not that he was mistaken on their origins, of course; they were certainly things that were forged by beings beyond man. Both of them had this odd sensation to them, a strange energy or fleeting wisp of power that extended far beyond mortals.

However, Himmelmez had reeked of this energy, clashing unnaturally against everything else. Not only that, but the alien sensation that the Valkyrie carried manifested as dark magic, corrupting the very air around her. In contrast, the Scholar was far more... rigid. Unnatural in a different sense, as though each piece of him had been meticulously measured. Unlike Himmelmez, the Scholar's presence barely touched the environment beyond him, completely isolated from the world save for two distinct flickers of ... something.

Not that Royal Guard could understand the significance of this observation, as the rending cry of the scorpion beast drew his attention away from his thoughts. Almost immediately, he was reminded of the shadow beasts that had surrounded him. The Royal Guardsman prepared himself, drawing his weapon—now the familiar spear of Glastheim's elite—as he turned his attention to the closest monster, waiting for his opponent to strike.

Instead, the shadow bear turned away, ignoring the Royal Guardsman entirely as it charged towards the Scholar.

* * *

To say the Scholar was confused would be... appropriate, all things considered. From the discovery of that second mysterious power, to the sudden flash of light that had surrounded his opponent, the young man wasn't quite sure what had just occurred.

About the only thing he could make sense of was that the Bloody Knight was no longer a Bloody Knight.

Instead, the monster was now back to his original form, a ghostly warrior draped in gold-trimmed armour, as he slowly pulled himself off the ground. No longer did his opponent wear a massive plate of steel and blood, and the empty visor that had once covered his face had simply disappeared, leaving behind the older man's stern face. Which was why, even from his position, the Scholar could tell that the Bloody Knight... No, the Royal Guard was as lost as he was.

That's when Hall noticed that they weren't the only things confused by the event; Each member of the throng of grimm, every single mass of shadow and bone that stood around them, were just as perplexed. None dared to move as countless crimson eyes fell on the Royal Guard, watching as the faint light slowly died away. Ursai, Beowolves, and Creeps all stared at the armoured figure, suddenly unsure of whether to continue their attack, as their savage roars deflated to threatening growls.

Which was when the Ancient Deathstalker shattered the uneasy stillness, letting loose a terrible shriek as it snapped everything back to their senses.

The beasts of grimm turned away from the ghost, no longer interested in the intangible man as their sights settled on the Scholar. Even the Deathstalker began to move forward, its bone-plated legs digging into the ground as it brought itself to bear.

The Scholar immediately made use of his replenished reserves, surrounding himself in a shell of flame, as countless walls of fire pushed away the surrounding grimm. More magic soon followed, bathing the clearing in white glyphs as spikes of earth shot up to skewer the grimm that remained. Next came a torrent of icicles, shooting outwards at the larger grimm that withstood these attacks, the shards of magical ice driving them back. Still, he knew that those spells alone wouldn't be enough to deal with the horde, which was why he began gathering his power for another spell.

...No.

Hall frowned, his eyes falling towards his opponents. He was no Wizard, and there was no spell he could use to deal with such numerous foes. Even with his Spiritual Power fully renewed, the Scholar simply had no way of fighting in this position. He still carried some dust, of course, but they were useless to him without an appropriate spell to catalyze. Likewise, his elemental bolts were powerful, but they simply could not hope to overwhelm the mass of monsters that were now bearing down on him.

It was clear that the Scholar had no choice but to withdraw. And while he would surely be unable to run away from the limitless horde, he didn't need to. After all, the reason he had bothered to stay behind in the first place was so he could properly test out his escape item. Sure, it would be disappointing if his test items didn't work as intended, but he no longer had the luxury of worrying. So he didn't. Instead, Hall gave a soft smile, his hand slipping into his pocket to draw out his lifeline: A Butterfly Wing.

With a single pulse of Spiritual Power, Hall crushed the item in his hand, letting its energies take form as it surrounded him.

And just like that, the Scholar disappeared in a pillar of azure light.

* * *

 _ **AN: I'd like to apologize for my terrible delay. I don't really have a valid reason beyond academic troubles and muse issues, but those have been resolved, and my schedule should be returning to some semblance of routine normalcy soon.**_


	47. Where It Began, Where It Begins (1)

**Chapter 47**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (1)**

* * *

"... And that was the last relevant footage we had of Mr. Hall."

Ozpin's voice rang out the moment the video ended, snapping back the attention of the rest of the room. The bewildered eyes of Teams RWBY and JNPR, along with the worried eyes of their ghostly companion, slowly shifted from the array of holodisplays, wrenching away from the hour-old images as they turned back to the Headmaster of Beacon. Each of the students wore varying degrees of concern and doubt, as they looked to the older man for answers.

Unlike the students, the professors of Beacon had a better hold on their emotions, even if their reactions differed greatly from the students. The air was still as the three most trusted adults of the academy stood behind the students, watching the array of holodisplays as their minds replayed the various videos. Port's mustache twitched at the recollection, his massive brow furrowing as the huntsman's gaze bore into the wall. Bartholomew and Glynda were far more reserved, content to simply hide their expressions as they tried to focus on one of the other video displays.

But like the students, the teachers eventually turned their attention to the Headmaster, wondering if he had any insight to shed.

Yet, the neutral expression that he wore on his face told them that he could neither answer their questions, nor advise them of what should come next. After all, how was he to explain the sudden disappearance of the hall monitor? Or the reversion of the Bloody Knight to a ghostly warrior, that had chosen to disappear the moment Hall had? No, Ozpin was as lost in the dark as they were.

So, instead of answering their unspoken questions, the headmaster turned his attention away from the group, looking back up at the holodisplays as he focused on another one of the videos, pausing for just a moment as he prepared to activate it.

"I'm certain you have plenty of questions, but before you ask, there's one thing I'd like you all to confirm. Have any of you ever seen Mr. Hall use this technique before?"

At those words, the green-suited man started the video, replaying the moment where Hall had used his magic on the Bloody Knight, drawing out a strange mass of colour and light from the armoured warrior. No one was able to watch the footage with a straight face, the sudden screech of the Hall monitor's victim clear on the footage as the Scholar forced out... something. Then, he split that something in half, absorbing the blackened light in one fluid motion as he allowed the other glow to return to the Bloody Knight.

The moment it split apart was the moment Ozpin chose to pause the video, letting the students and teachers take in the sight of torn light. His eyes fell on the students, hoping to find an answer from one of them, but neither RWBY nor JNPR chose to speak out.

"... I see. Very well." Not that Ozpin was finished, as he quickly accessed another video, bringing the display to everyone's attention as he activated the screen. "In that case, does anyone recognize this item that Mr. Hall used?"

This next video was one that involved the Scholar's mysterious pouch, as well as the odd item he had pulled from it. At first glance, Hall simply took out a branch, an odd curiosity with no discernible purpose. Yet, the item's purpose was discovered a moment later when he snapped it in two, throwing the device onto the ground as energy began forming on around the branch.

A familiar energy, that looked partially like his magic, and partially like grimm smoke.

There was a sudden flash, the branch exploding as it was replaced by the sight of a small insectile grimm. No one present recognized the species, but the implications of the item were... extremely worrying. Where did Hall get an item that creates grimm? Why was he carrying it around without a second thought?

... Were grimm related to the Scholar's world?

At least one member of Team RWBY filed that thought away for future investigation, as Blake Belladonna resolved to read through the Scholar's encyclopedia the moment they returned to their dorm.

The rest of the students merely stared at the branch, watching the video as it repeated the action, going from snapped twig to energy flash to sudden grimmbug. Yet, none of them had any solution, and Ozpin soon turned their attention away from the footage.

"I'll take that as a 'no', then." Despite his informal tone, Ozpin was as worried as everyone else in the room, even if his mug hid most of his features. The Headmaster took another quick sip from his cup, before finally turning his attention to the students proper. "That concludes the briefing. Do any of you have any questions?"

"Yeah, I've got one." Yang's voice immediately filled the room, the blonde brawler raising her hand as she pointed at the last holodisplay. "Why exactly was Ruby glowing with the same blue light that hall had when she was on the Bullhead?"

Ozpin raised a brow at that question, confusion apparent on his face as he turned his attention to the huntress-in-training. Rather than his usual lax posture, the man's body was focused, his full attention trained on the blonde haired student. All it took was a quick check of the Bullhead's internal cameras to confirm her question, and now the headmaster was now as equally concerned about Ruby as her sister was.

And just as lost.

"Um... I think I might know."

Before he could voice his own ignorance, however, another voice spoke up, and all eyes turned to the source. Teachers and students alike settled their gaze on the mysterious ghost girl from the Emerald Forest.

* * *

Kali wasn't too sure how to she was supposed to explain herself.

She didn't really have anyone to blame, though. After all, she had been the one to speak up, offering information without really thinking it through. And now, she was floating here under the appraising gaze of the rest of the room, each person wanting to know what she had meant.

It didn't help that she barely knew what she meant herself; She had seen the phenomenon before, of course, which was why she spoke up in the first place. However, that didn't change the fact that she had only seen it in one kind of context, and that she had no idea whether her observation would be of use to them. The ghost brought a hand to her chin, her eyes fixed on the ground as she began trying to think up of how to-

"Err... Kali? Is everything okay?"

Jaune's voice snapped her out of her silence, giving her something stable to cling to as the Ghostly Knight nodded in response. She turned towards the blonde swordsman, flashing him a warm smile as she gave a polite bow.

"I'm fine, Jaune. Thank you." And she was. Sure, she still wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to explain everything, since the woman was quite certain that her new friends knew nothing about her history.. It was depressing to think that even the kingdom of Rune-Midgarts had fallen, but that was the only explanation, as Jaune hadn't recognized the name. "Then... I suppose I'll start from the beginning. This may be a stretch, but... have any of you heard of the Kingdom of Rune-Midgarts, and its Capital city of Glastheim?"

Kali was already putting together her next words, wondering how she'd explain a kingdom that, according to Doctor Oobleck, left no culture in its wake. But, before she could even come up with an introduction, the sound of a cheerful red-hooded girl broke through her thoughts.

"Ooh, we do! Hall told us about it! But... he didn't tell us that Glast Heim was a Capital city..."

Kali frowned at that. She honestly wasn't sure how accurate their preconceptions would be. After all, from what Jaune had told her, the man named Hall came from another world, one where things were remarkably similar to the land she knew. For all their similarities, though, they were still subtly different—creeping darkness feeling notwithstanding—and the ghost girl wasn't quite sure whether her explanation would help if they had an inaccurate baseline understanding.

"... Is that so? Would you be willing to tell me what he has told you?"

Kali gave the girl in red a polite smile, half curious as to what her answer would be. That smile immediately faded as she listened to Ruby's retelling, as the little girl began talking about ancient demon lords, a corrupted king, and a city of the dead. The ghostly knight was surprised by what she had learned about the Glast Heim of the Scholar's world, and how it differed from the Glastheim she knew.

And when she heard about Glastheim, she realized _why_ it differed. Somehow, the world Hall came from was long after the fall of Glastheim, as it had been described as long-forgotten ruins. And apparently, the reasons why it had turned to ruins were lost in time, as the fall of Glastheim was turned into some fairytale myth that held no trace of the Heart of Ymir.

So that would be her first point of discussion.

"Well then, I think I know where to start: The Heart of Ymir..."

"Ooh, Hall told us about that too!"

The ghostly Knight couldn't help but blink at that statement. She had just said that Glastheim's history was lost, so that meant that they shouldn't have known about the Heart of Ymir. Yet, the Scholar somehow had information on it? Kali had to ask.

"Can I... ask how much he's told you?"

Before Ruby could repeat the story, however, the Headmaster had decided to step in. He briefly cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the room. One hand held his eternal mug, but his other hand was free, making its way to his security console as he loaded up an older video footage from a few weeks ago, back when the Scholar had decided to explain his history.

"If you are curious about Mr. Hall's circumstances, I believe I have a better solution than attempting to gain it second-hand from Miss Rose. I'd be happy to show you the video later, once you've completed your original line of thought. I believe you said you had a theory about the sudden flash of light, did you not?"

"... My apologies." She had just remembered that that was the whole reason she why was explaining things in the first place. Giving the headmaster a quick nod, the Ghostly Knight forced her thoughts back together, growing accustomed to the more somber tone of the nature of her theory. After all, it made no sense, and if it did, it'd have... grave implications.

"First off, understand that I was a Knight of the Khalitzburg Order in Glastheim. As a Knight, I was tasked with safeguarding the fragment from the Heart of Ymir stored within our city." Kali wasn't sure if the group understood the magnitude of that statement, as that fact had been uncommon even back when Glastheim was alive. Coupled with their limited knowledge of the Heart of Ymir, and she could see multiple points of confusion in her words.

But the ghost noticed that the members of Team RWBY flashed her a look upon hearing the name, some eyes widening while others narrowed at the mention of the artifact. Even if they didn't know much about it, it seemed that the young women before her knew enough to understand the danger associated with the Heart of Ymir. This... worried her greatly, since that information must've come from the Scholar. Exactly how similar was the Scholar's world to one she knew?

The ghost shook her head, trying to clear herself of those thoughts as she settled back to her explanation.

"... In my time as a Knight, I have only seen that sort of light on one occasion: When the Heart of Ymir comes to life." That last one immediately alarmed the people within the office, and Kali certainly noticed the change in tone. "Not like that! It's just... Once a year, the pieces of the Heart of Ymir resonate with one another, and cast out a light in an attempt to seek out similar fragments."

Not that that explained anything, and Yang was the first to point that out, while the rest of her team digested the information.

"Okay, so what you're saying is that Hall disappeared because of that Heart thing, which meant that he... has one." The blonde brawler's voice fell at that realization, her gaze turning away from Kali as it shifted back to the holodisplays. To say that she was feeling conflicted was an understatement, and Yang looked to be deep in thought before a sudden flash of recognition appeared on her face.

"Wait, does that mean the Heart of Ymir's a bug wing or something?"

Kali blinked at that statement, sending a curious glance towards the young woman, trying to process what she had just said. Yet, as she followed the blonde's gaze, she quickly took notice of the question properly, her eyes locked on the security footage, finally taking note of that small item inside the Scholar's hand. A small item that was decidedly not a fragment of Ymir. "... No. It isn't. I have no idea what that is..."

This did not bode well for the group, as their eyes remained fixed on the display a moment longer. Now, the Ghost girl had absolutely no idea what had happened, no closer to an answer than when she had started, shifting her gaze down to the floor. "Sorry. I guess I wasn't much help."

Jaune's voice was the first one to break through the silence, as he turned his attention to the girl. "Um... I wouldn't say that. I mean, you helped me out, right? A-and you still had a guess, while the rest of us weren't too sure what had happened. So you've been more help than us, right?"

He gave a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head as the Arc let out a nervous cough.

"Yeah!" Ruby took that moment to join in with her fellow leader, her voice far more chipper as she nodded at the ghost. "And besides, we kind of stole Hall's books, so I'm sure we'll be able to figure that out. He's got this giant encyclopedia of stuff and everything!"

"Oh? An encyclopedia, Miss Rose? I don't suppose you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" Ozpin took exception to this statement, his eyes falling on the young leader of team Ruby. Kali could see that the man had a look of ... levity in his tone, one that almost seemed chiding when coupled with the playful smirk plastered on his face. It soon faded, however, as the lighthearted words gave way to the uncertainty of their situation.

"Please, go retrieve that encyclopedia. It may shed some light on what has transpired."

* * *

Distant ashes.

That was all he could see.

The Scholar frowned as his senses returned, his eyes darting around him as he tried to gather his bearings. Yet, he couldn't even do that, as the sensation of motion clung to his form, as though he was doing something more than standing in place. Hall's eyes fell down to his body, surprised to see that he was, in fact, still moving; He stood still, but the glow of the Butterfly Wing had not left him, and he could feel the magic in the item tug and pull his form, drawing closer to the burnt expanse.

Burnt expanse? Was that really the best way to describe it? Hall couldn't see it as anything else, as a field of ash and charcoal stretched onward, reaching far behind what he could see, twisting into the darkness.

That's when the Scholar finally noticed that there was darkness around him, a veritable void of nothingness that surrounded the fields of ash. Why had he not noticed this before? After all, the darkness was so prevalent, it covered everything, with the only source of light being a faint glow that hovered above the cinder fields.

The Scholar recoiled at that orb of light; it felt _wrong_ to him, the same sensation that he had felt on the very first day he had entered the world of Remnant.

But this was most certainly not the world of Remnant; that much was clear. If anything, this endless void reminded the Scholar of something else, something that he had only seen once before. Hall's eyes widened as realization struck, and he immediately began to piece his thoughts together, his mind being drawn back to the time before he had arrived in this world. There was no mistake.

"This place... It's almost exactly like the Dimensional Gap..."

Hall flinched the moment he spoke those words, feeling a terrible sense of pressure bear down on him the moment he broke the silence. His gaze turned to the darkness, where the feeling had originated from, only to find two glowing orbs of pure white, staring down at him.

Eyes.

The world shook as the owner of those eyes began to move, kicking up dust and ash as the white eyes rose upwards. The darkness flickered, and Hall saw the faint silhouette of something truly massive, thick plates of _something_ barely visible from the ashy field's glow. The Scholar knew he had to act, and instantly began to gather his Spiritual Power, his magical energies flickering and lashing out at the air around him.

That proved to be a mistake, as the sudden influx of power tore apart the thin shell of magic that his Butterfly Wings had wrapped around him. No longer supported by the item, Hall fell to the ground, colliding against a bed of ashes. He felt a dull register of pain shoot through him, his body colliding against the solid void that seemed to act as the ground in this Dimensional Gap. It certainly hurt, but the Scholar was more thankful that he was on stable ground now.

A terrible roar shook him out of his thoughts, Hall's attention instantly falling back on the strange shadow beast that had spotted him in the first place. This time, however, he had an actual response, gathering his spiritual power as he fired off a bolt of flame, attempting to illuminate the darkness around him. And, for one flickering moment, the Scholar succeeded, the fiery blaze of his spell casting an orange hue on the beast within the shadows.

Hall froze.

Standing before him was a creature that exceeded entire structures in size. He had encountered lesser variants of its kind before, denizens of the Abyssal Lake that existed back in Rune-Midgard. Yet, those things paled in comparison to the monster before him, as the Scholar took in the sight of this terrible creature. Not only could this beast dwarf the largest dragons within that dungeon, it was completely covered in thick plates, its body far above the meager scales you'd find in its lesser brethren.

But the Scholar couldn't afford to freeze up, his eyes resting on the purple dragon. Its armoured exterior was lighter than he expected, the faint purple in contrast to the colourless void of darkness that permeated the Dimensional Gap. He had never seen something like this before, and the Scholar forced himself to focus as he attempted to appraise the beast, trying to use his Spiritual Power to figure out what sort of creature it was. In one collected step, he gathered his energy, reaching out to the monster as he invoked Sense.

He expected the failure, but what truly surprised him was the terrible backlash that followed, assaulting his body with an explosive force as he felt his magic rampage. The backlash of his spell sent him flying, launching him to the glowing field behind him, as he landed squarely on more ash.

The Dragon took flight.


	48. Where It Began, Where It Begins (2)

**Chapter 48**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (2)**

* * *

The Scholar had never been one to panic, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

Throughout his time in Rune-Midgard, Hall could not recall a single instance where circumstances had forced him to lose his wits. From his adventures in the Niflheim, Land of the Dead, to his grueling battles against the Great Demon Baphomet or the Dark Lord of Glast Heim, the Scholar had never once felt the cold chill of fear. Even his excursions into the Somatology Labs beneath the city of Lighthalzen, where the resident corporation had taken to twisted human experimentation, left no mark on the Scholar's psyche... So why was it that, now of all times, the man known as Hall began feeling doubt and trepidation?

Oh, right, probably because it's the largest dragon he had ever seen.

That thought barely registered in the Scholar's mind as turned his attention back to matters at hand. Already, the massive Dragon had ascended, hovering in the dark void beyond the edge of the Scholar's vision, each flap of its powerful wings tearing through the air. The advantages that the Scholar had were quickly dwindling, sight and mobility already in the Dragon's favour as he began considering his options.

His Sense had told him nothing about his opponent, which meant that its was likely unrelated to Rune-Midgard. Yet, this place didn't feel like Remnant either, as the air around him felt devoid of life. Sure, he hadn't quite figured out how to spot Aura yet, but his body had acclimated to Remnant enough to at least recognize when the strange energy was present. And since he felt none of that, Hall had no choice but to assume that this was unrelated to Rune-Midgard or Remnant... Unfortunately, that told him nothing useful.

At the very least, he should resolve his current tactical disadvantages; With one fluid motion, the Scholar pulled out another Authoritative Badge, his supply dwindling drastically as he broke the charm, feeling its magic fill him. Sure, it would only last for a few minutes, but the boon to his speed was something he _knew_ he needed.

Especially since the Dragon chose that moment to act. If he didn't know better, he would've thought that the Dragon reacted to his item usage. Fortunately, he did know better, and Hall was all but certain that the Dragon was reacting to... something else. He just had no idea what.

Not that it mattered, as the dragon dove from the sky, its massive talons outstretched as it aimed itself at the Scholar. Hall threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the dragon's claws as he landed on a pile of ashes, noticing the beast return skyward from the corner of his eyes. It took the Scholar a few moments to right himself, pulling himself back up to his feet, just in time to spot the dragon's next deadly descent.

This time, rather than avoid, the Scholar chose to strike back, Spiritual Power gathering as he fired off a storm of icicles. Each of the razor-sharp shards tore through the air, colliding against the dragon's thick scales, exploding harmlessly against the beast's head. Still, the attack was enough to distract the monster, its claws barely missing the Scholar as he dove out of the way once more.

Rather than repeat his last action, Hall chose a different response this time, his spiritual power gathering in a different method. The Dragon seemed to take notice of this, as it chose to remain in the air this time, no longer positioning itself for another baleful dive. Instead, it slowly began circling around him, sticking to the darkness beyond the ash field's mysterious glow, slowly biding its time.

This suited the Scholar just fine, as it allowed him the opportunity to change his tactics, the momentary pause giving him a chance to pursue a more sensible approach. Above all else, he was a Scholar, which meant that Hall's greatest weapon was not his magic, but the knowledge behind his magic. A simple understanding of the elements told the young man that, if his opponent was unaffected by elemental ice, then the Dragon had an elemental affinity to either ice, fire, or poison. Anything else would've had a noticeable effect on the Dragon, beyond irritation. So, based on this tidbit of information, Hall had to use a different elemental attack.

And he knew exactly which one to use.

The Scholar's Spiritual Power gathered around him once more, the air swirling with energy as he focused it into his spell. In the distance, he saw the Dragon react, its flight path no longer a cautious circle as it turned its attention to him, bringing its full weight to bear as it descended once again. This time, Hall was ready, his spell fully prepared to strike into the Dragon's very Soul.

At once, the Scholar invoked Soul Strike, the bolts of pure Aura streaking through the air in glowing spheres of pure white. Sure, they were nearly useless against things with no elemental affinity, and they weren't capable of seriously injuring things that _did_ have an element, but these bolts of magic were analogous to his elemental bolts in more ways than one: he was not limited to a single volley. Within the span of seconds, the Scholar burned his Spiritual Power away, converting it into raw energy as he invoked Soul Strike again and again.

Countless bolts of pure light shot into the sky, illuminating the Dragon as well as the ashy plains below, each bolt striking and exploding against the beast's thick scales.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the Dragon had finally decided to take offense to the Scholar's attacks, as it began gathering its own power. However, rather than focus something as flowery as Spiritual Power or Aura, the Dragon made use of its natural assets, glaring down at the Scholar as it fired off a single massive ball of flame.

The light from Hall's Soul Strike paled in comparison to the prominence unleashed by the Ancient Dragon. The Scholar could only stare at the descending blaze, his hand reaching into his pouch in a vain attempt to find some lifeline.

* * *

"Here you go!"

An explosive puff of petals signified Ruby's return, the little leader now sporting the encyclopedia that her team had borrowed from Hall. Again, she was surprised by the weight of the thing, always forgetting how much information this book seemed to contain... Which was really weird, since it was only about the size of her Grimm Studies textbook. It seemed that the Headmaster noticed the same thing, as he flashed a look of curiosity to the girl the moment he took the book.

"... I see. Thank you, Miss Rose." Ozpin took a quick look at the document, opening it to a random page before shifting his gaze back to the group. "Hmm. That's unfortunate; It seems that I am unfamiliar with the language of this text."

"Oh, yeah! It's the language that Hall uses! I think I still have the cheat sheet somewhere!"

The leader of Team RWBY quickly turned her attention to her combat skirt, sifting through the various pouches as she tried to find her copy of the translation paper. It took her two hidden cookie rations, as well as a forgotten note-to-self about some history homework, but she did eventually find it, and the girl promptly handed over the folded reference sheet to the Headmaster. "It takes a bit to get used to, but once you get used to it, you can read it without the sheet!"

"You sure about that, sis? Blakey's spent more time with those books than you have, but I always see her using the little sheet thing. Are you sure it's not just you?" Yang's voice popped up next, drawing attention away from the little leader as the blonde sent a quick glance over to her sister. This was accompanied by a momentary pause, a frown slowly forming on Yang's face. It took a few moments before she spoke out once more, her eyes fixed on Ruby.

"Actually, now that I mention it, you've been the only one who could understand Hall's... everything. Ever since he used that leaf thingy on you. Are we sure he didn't do anything to you?"

"I'm... sure..." Even Ruby's voice wasn't quite as enthusiastic as she'd like it to be. On one hand, she didn't think that Hall purposely did anything to her... But on the other hand, that ghost knight guy said that Hall had been carrying around a Heart of Ymir the entire time. If that was true, then maybe it... it...

"Wait, what happened to the ghost guy?" Ruby's thoughts instantly shifted away from her own predicament, as she turned her attention back to the array of holodisplays, trying to spot him within the videos.

Sure, all of them had seen what had happened to the ghost Knight before Hall had disappeared; the brawl between the Bloody Knight and Hall, as well as the event that resulted in the Knight's collapse were hard to miss. All of them noticed the Scholar using some weird magic to pull away the Knight's aura, slowly peeling some strange black thing off of it, before returning it to the armoured warrior. And just as important was the fact that, once that ball of aura returned, the Bloody Knight let out a light, before warping back to his not-scary ghost form.

But what had happened after that? None of the cameras showed him being injured, as the masses of grimm quickly dispersed after Hall did that blue light thing with the... Butterfly wing?

Now that they weren't completely flabbergasted by the events, Ruby took notice of the fact that Hall had activated an item before disappearing... And it looked like a butterfly wing. She turned her attention back to the headmaster, who had been slowly flipping through the encyclopedia the entire time, before slowly clearing her throat, as Ruby tried to get the man's attention. "E-erm... Professor Ozpin?"

"Yes, Miss Rose?" Ozpin's eyes shifted away from the book as he slowly tilted his head up, glancing at Ruby with a curious look as he waited for her to continue.

"I was wondering... Could you see if there's an item in the book that resembles a butterfly wing?" She threw a meaningful glance back at the holodisplay, her eyes focusing on the item in Hall's hand, the butterfly wing barely visible.

It was subtle, but Ozpin's eyes followed, catching that little curiosity instantly. When he finally fixed his gaze on the grushed object, he simply nodded, turning back to the red leader as he spoke out. "Ah, yes. That was part of the reason why I requested this encyclopedia in the first place... Now, let's see if we can't find this particular item in question."

As Ozpin continued his search, Ruby turned her attention away from the screens, shifting back to her fellow friends and teammates. Most of Team JNPR were conversing with Kali at the moment, as Jaune and Nora sharing stories with ghost girl. Ren stood beside them, occasionally nodding at something Nora would say, while Pyrrha stood beside Jaune with a ... smile? fixed on her face. It didn't look quite like a smile, but maybe Pyrrha was just nervous or something?

Rather than Pyrrha's odd behaviour, what took Ruby's attention next was the fact that she had completely forgotten about the other teachers, finally noticing them as they stood behind her friends. They had been completely quiet throughout the entire exchange that Ozpin gave, and were quietly conversing with themselves. Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck were all quiet, carefully listening to Miss Goodwitch as she spoke to them in hushed tones, her voice far quieter than that of her friends.

Which mean she couldn't really hear them.

"That's... odd."

The headmaster's voice sounded out, interrupting Ruby's train of thought before she could contemplate the benefits of trying to listen in to a teacher conversation. So, instead of potentially earning herself a suspension, the red leader turned her attention to Ozpin, an action that everyone else in the room mirrored. Once he noticed that all eyes were on him, Ozpin cleared his throat, before pressing a button on his desk. Within seconds, another holodisplay popped up, this one projecting the contents of the book on his desk.

As expected, the projected entry was the butterfly wing, and if it weren't for the supplementary description, Ruby would've marveled at how colourful the item's illustration was. However, the moment she read those words, her eyes narrowed in confusion. Did she read that right?

"... I see you've noticed my point of contention, Miss Rose." It seemed that the passage confused Ozpin as much as it did Ruby. Both eyes turned to the ghost of Glastheim, sending forth an unspoken question about her own ability to recognize the words. "Miss Kali... If you are able to, could you please read this passage?"

"I'm sorry, sir." For her part, the ghost of the blonde knight bowed her head apologetically, her eyes closed as she averted her gaze. "I don't recognize that script, and wouldn't be of much help."

"It's quite alright. I just wanted some form of confirmation about this particular entry." Ozpin finally set the book down, the holodisplay showing exactly what he needed to the rest of the room, as he turned his attention to his signature mug. The green-suited man quickly retrieved the container, but made no effort to actually use it, content on leaving it in his hand as he settled his gaze to the room. "Seeing as how that's not possible... Miss Rose, could you please read the passage?"

Ruby slowly nodded, trying to decipher the meaning of the words as she read them out. It wasn't that she didn't understand the words; quite the opposite really. The problem was that it made no sense.

"An enchanted butterfly's wing that instantly sends its user to his Save Point when waved in the air."

... See?

* * *

How long had she been asleep? That was something she did not know, and something she _could_ not know. After all, how could she answer that question when she didn't even recognize that she had been asleep in the first place?

But that mattered little now.

Something had crudely awoken her, leaving her unresponsive and sluggish as she tried to move her tired body.

Her dull motions immediately turned to instinctual reflex the moment she felt something... strike her? That wasn't the right word, but she didn't know how else to describe it. It had been far too long since she had felt that twisted energy, and her own power flared in response, blasting back against that unknown darkmess. That's when she heard the sound of something fall, and that's when she finally took note of her surroundings.

... No. No, she didn't. There was something more pressing: that flicker.

She turned her attention to the burst of energy, spotting the errant flit of darkness as it stood still, immobile even in the face of the void. It was a curiosity, and one she regarded as her eyes slowly focused on it. Yet it was not enough to merely observe, and she felt her body stir, giving her the strength to rise.

And rise she did, slowly reaching her apex as she resumed observing the shadowy flicker.

It was at that moment that the shadows flared, twisting and snapping apart as she heard the air crack. More than that, however, she saw the spark of darkness slowly adding to itself, the wisps of chaos strengthening as it somehow compounded itself. While her memories may not be fully realized, she still recognized the significance of this action, and knew full well that she had to do something about it.

With her attention fixed on the darkness, she descended, her weapons drawn.

This marked the start of the exchanges she had between herself and the mysterious shadow. For her efforts, she attempted to strike down the corruption, her power and abilities lashing out at the spark of darkness. In return, the darkness exerted more of its influence, as tendrils of energy twisted the environment around it, creating mockeries of the world as it gathered them together. These warped fragments were then launched by the spark, unleashed in a deadly arc aimed straight for her.

By themselves, the fragments were merely annoyances, and she could afford to withstand them, ignoring their effects entirely as she attempted her attack once again. Like before, the spark of darkness avoided her strikes, while its own efforts remained useless. This song and dance continued for a few moments longer, before she noticed a change in the darkness.

No longer was it content to simply warp the environment.

What came next were not twisted fragments of nature, but a raw cluster of something _else_ entirely. She steeled herself, preparing for the onslaught as she circled her opponent, watching as it began spitting out orbs of light. She had intended to keep her strength stable, focusing more and more of her power into herself, until she was fully prepared to crush her opponent. However, the shadow did not give her this chance, choosing now of all times to unleash its unnatural fragments at her.

One struck her instantly, and rather than ignore her defenses, that piece of twisted something had managed to strike at her core... at her very soul.

Yet her soul was strong. Her soul had no choice _but_ to be strong, so she could resist the torrent of power. And if she could resist it, she could respond in kind.

So she focused her attention to herself, slowly building up her own strength and willpower even as another unnatural fragment exploded against her body. For her part, she ignored the blast, focusing her powers on a single counterattack, as she made preparations for the unknown shadow.

These preparations were not long, and by the time the corruption released its second salvo, she was already ready. It was her duty to strike first, and so she did, as a blaze of unimaginable power slowly fell on the ash-soaked plains.

And it was the sight of flames and cinders that finally brought her mind together. She _remembered_... Something.


	49. Where It Began, Where It Begins (3)

**Chapter 49**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (3)**

* * *

 _HP at 16%. Health levels critical.  
_  
That was one way to put it, and the Scholar couldn't help but shake his head at that thought.

Or perhaps he was just shaking his head to clear away the pain. Honestly, the Scholar hadn't hurt this much since... ever, now that he thought about it. The closest thing he could think of was that mysterious bout of unconsciousness that he had experienced after that duel with Yang, but even that paled in comparison to the feeling of raw heat clinging to his skin. It was a wonder that his clothes remained unscathed, considering how destructive that Dragon's attack was.

... Was it that destructive?

Certainly, the Scholar had felt his health drop to critical levels, the sudden blaze having consumed much of his life energy in a fiery lash. But at the same time, the damage caused by the fire was still manageable, and Hall had already begun focusing his Spiritual Power into his gloves, slowly invoking his healing spell to mend his wounds. In fact, the Scholar's biggest problem was not the magnitude of the Dragon's attack, but the fact that he had no chance of avoiding it; there was no way he could move fast enough to avoid the massive creature's firebreath.

So he had to come up with another solution entirely. Unfortunately, while he had control over the elements, the Scholar's actual spell repertoire was lacking when it came to defense. His only true defensive skills were his Safety Wall, Energy Coat and Fire Wall spells, all of which were completely useless against elemental flame; Safety Wall and Energy Coat only protected him against physical strikes, while Fire Wall was not a tangible barrier that could ward off flame. Had he been a Wizard, the Scholar might've had some luck with an Ice wall, but alas, his power in spontaneously generating and slinging icicles did not extend to spontaneously generating giant icicles to ward off attacks.

And... Now that he thought about it, he couldn't actually think up of a reason why. He could already form a firewall, and elemental flame was far more unwieldy to control, so wouldn't he logically be able to replicate the effect with ice? After all, unlike fire, ice was stable once it had fully formed, and since his spells were capable of freezing all manner of opponents in solid blocks of ice, he should technically have the skills to freeze empty air into solid ice.

Yes, it was worth a try, wasn't it? All he needed to do was to focus a bit more on the elemental water side of things. With that thought in his mind, the Scholar pulled out some dust, slowly gathering his Spiritual Power once more, fully intent on invoking his elemental field spell. The dust burned, swirling in the air as it filled with his magic, carrying forth the Scholar's power as it... fizzled. Rather than act as an elemental catalyst, the dust fizzled entirely.

 _Skill Failed_. _Item lost_.

Unfortunately, the Scholar did not have the luxury to question what had happened. Instead, he had no choice but to use a different catalyst, drawing out a Yellow Gemstone from his pouch as he focused his Spiritual Power through the enchanted crystal. Unlike the handful of dust, the catalyst from Rune-Midgard worked as intended, exploding out in a shard of magic as elemental water slowly surrounded the young man.

 _Deluge, self._

The thought passed almost mechanically through the Scholar's mind, his body following through with the motions as he invoked Deluge. As expected, a magical field of water formed below his feet, stabilizing his affinity to the element as he began focusing his mind. Of course, he had no clue where to start, as the idea of spontaneously creating ice pillars seemed far more complicated, now that he had time to think on matters. Yet, he couldn't dawdle in his actions, as there was no doubt the Dragon would be attacking any moment.

In fact, given his hesitation and plotting, the Scholar was surprised that he hadn't actually been hit by a second blast of fire yet. Either the Dragon had completely lost interest in him, or it had noticed that he had survived its initial attack, and was now preparing something far worse. All it took was a single glance at the beast to confirm that, yes, it was def-... Wait, what?

Rather than prepare a second attack, the Dragon was apparently content to hover in the air, showing no further signs of hostility as its eyes fixed themselves on the Scholar. There was no reasonable explanation for this sudden change, so Hall had no choice but to assume the worst, gathering his spiritual power once again. Keeping one eye on the beast, Hall began molding his spiritual power, attempting to twist and form the elemental ice that had gathered in the air, attempting to blend it with his own spell as he... watched the Dragon land.

Of course, he had enough discipline to keep his focus; just because the beast did something unexpected didn't mean that Hall would be caught unawares. It'd take something much more unnatural for that to happen.

For instance, if the dragon began gathering its own Spiritual Power, only to unleash it in a blinding flash of light. And if that's where it ended, Hall would've been completely fine, as the idea of monsters with Spiritual Power was not a foreign concept to him.

But that would make sense, and we can't have that, can we?

Hall flinched at the blinding light, but the flare soon faded, leaving the Dimensional Gap in a dark void once more. His gaze settled back to the spot where the dragon once stood, only to find a woman of violet eyes and purple hair, staring back at him. The Scholar didn't even register the her feathery dress, nor the elaborate serpent tattoo that seemed to crawl up her arms, as his eyes were fixed firmly at the woman's head, where two tiny dragon wings peeked through the lavender locks, acting as some... sort of head accessory.

Sufficed to say, the Scholar dispelled his spiritual power, completely confused by the turn of events.

"Uwz kwj efh zhhqn zyva ssoik, Tuqok cl Edvz?"

"...What." The Scholar's confusion was compounded with more confusion, not expecting to find a language barrier _here_ of all places. However, he was used to it by now, and was about to fish out his Scroll for his usual communication method before he heard the woman's voice once more.

"Bp, pf ovucbollg. Pajg i pvaktk." And at those words, the woman began... glowing, for lack of a better term.

Hall could feel her Spiritual Energy twist and flare, filling the air with an unimaginable power as the violet lady closed her eyes. This very action caused the young man to step back, his instincts on guard as he tried to gauge the woman's strength. And yet, unimaginable was the only way he could describe it; Nothing he had faced, not even the sealed Greater Demon, Satan Morroc could hope to compare to the raw power that this woman exuded.

Then, just as quickly as her power flared, it disappeared, the encompassing light that once surrounded her replaced by a soft warmth that was... almost familiar to the Scholar.

"That should solve that issue." The Violet Lady smiled to herself, nodding at the empty void before turning her body towards the Scholar. There was a slight shift in her stance, her back straightening as she adopted a more professional tone, her eyes focused on the young man as she spoke out. "Now, I'll ask again..."

"How did you reach this place, Child of Ymir?"

* * *

What started off as a simple curiosity quickly devolved into something more... worrying.

Ozpin's office had long since lost its air of professionalism, as the Headmaster had concerned himself more with the encyclopedia than he did with the students. So now, the three remaining teachers had the task of debriefing the students, their tones level as they talked with Teams JNPR and RWBY, sans Ruby. At least Kali was there to take her place, as the entire conversation was related to the ghostly Knight; They were in the middle of discussing Kali's current predicament, offering suggestions and potential explanations that the Beacon students could use to explain Kali's presence.

Not that Ruby was paying any attention. Instead, the girl ignored most of the background chatter, her focus on the encyclopedia as she stood at the headmaster's desk, looking down at the book as they flipped through it.

"... That one." The little leader pointed her finger at another item entry, taking note of the image of a piece of candy, bundled in a striped wrapper. Under normal circumstances, Ruby might've picked the item because it looked nice, or because she enjoyed sweet things. However, this was not something people would call normal circumstances, and the worried glance she gave the Headmaster carried that thought well.

Not that she would've ever imagined herself acting as a helper for the Headmaster of Beacon. The last thing she expected to experience in her huntress career was to help out someone like Ozpin, flipping through a book as they tried to find more of the... nonsense.

Except it wasn't nonsense, and Ruby knew it.

For now, she left that feeling alone, pushing it out to the back of her mind as she turned back to the Headmaster of beacon. She could see his desk flickering with random lights, a holographic light running over the encyclopedia as Ozpin's computer system scanned the image. The image appeared moments later, flickering as a separate holographic window, before being sent off to float with the rest of the items that she had marked out. Well, items that they had marked out, but Ozpin had also organized the displays such that her little additions were at one side, while his were at the other.

It was... weird seeing so many holographic windows hovering above the headmaster's desk, all fixed around the Headmaster as he sat at attention. Ozpin's tone matched the one he had adopted back during the initiation speech so many weeks ago, a somber mood that seemed to hint at something more. Ruby's gaze shifted away from the headmaster, slowly bouncing between her group of friends, the holo-windows, and the encyclopedia itself.

"A-hem."

The room fell silent as students and teachers alike turned their glance to the headmaster's desk. Ozpin's sudden cough clearing away any trace of idle talk, as he focused his attention towards the room. "It has come to my attention that this encyclopedia contains a few key pieces of information that need to be... addressed. Miss Kali, could you please step forward?"

Ozpin's voice was firm, and Ruby watched as the ghostly Knight floated away from her spot at Team JNPR, presenting herself to the room as she stood in front of the Headmaster's desk. The blonde knight stood at attention, almost military in her stance as she returned to her long-passed role of a Kingdom's guardian.

"Sir?" Contrary to her stance, however, Kali's voice was more nervous than resolute, her gaze shifting to the headmaster as she wore an anxious expression.

"Oh, no need to be worried or anything, Miss Kali. I'd just like to ask you a few questions about these items..." The headmaster made a simple gesture with his arm, and the holographic windows came to life, floating over to the ghostly Knight as he fixed her attention to the first object of many. "Tell me... Does this item look familiar to you?"

"I'm sorry, but no it doesn't..." Kali's voice was quiet, her eyes settled on the glowing display, only to find it replaced by another as the headmaster queried her on the rest of the items.

Ruby, for the most part, kept herself quiet as she listened to Kali's responses. Her part would come later, and she honestly wanted to keep her mind distracted from what she had discovered through the encyclopedia. A part of her wanted to say that it was just an elaborate prank, or that it was a something someone made for fun, as a parody of sorts. Yet, she knew that the chances of such a thing occurring were quire low, and the little red rose could do little but stare at the ground as she let out a tired sigh.

All of this brought a single question to her mind: Just _who_ was Hall?

A part of her also wanted to ask _what_ hall was, but the girl quickly shot it down. She knew Hall was human, and no amount of mysterious otherworldly books would change that fact; After all, he liked cookies! That's basically half the test right there! The last thing Ruby wanted to do was to pretend that people weren't people, and she felt that asking "what" Hall was would be going too far. So, rather than worry about that, the girl shook her head once again, trying to clear her thoughts as her gaze turned back to the headmaster's desk.

"... Thank you, Miss Kali." And with that, the Headmaster turned his attention to the rest of the room, his eyes narrowing as he let out a sigh. "Now, you may be wondering why I've suddenly decided to change our meeting to something more... unconventional."

He had an obvious audience with that statement, as Ruby saw the headmaster turn his gaze away from the center of the room to the teachers he had gathered. The hooded girl saw that Miss Goodwitch had a look of exhaustion mixed with a headache, like when she made a mistake in the teacher's class. On the other hand, Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck were... far more serious than she had ever seen them before. But in spite of their less-than-stellar image, all three of the teachers nodded at Ozpin's words, adopting a professional stance as they stood at attention.

"Well, I shall explain myself. You see, according to Miss Rose, this book is an encyclopedia that's supposed to chronicle most of the commonplace items and concepts that exist the world of Rune-Midgard." Ozpin made a simple gesture, his hand waving over to one of the many holodisplays, shifting their attention from familiar items to completely foreign images.. "And it seems that, unlike the Midgard that Miss Kali is familiar with, Mr. Hall's Rune-Midgard contains some very... 'unique' concepts."

"What do you mean, Ozpin?" Glynda Goodwitch took this opportunity to finally speak out, her eyes slowly switching focus between the headmaster and the various holographic displays. "While... exotic, I do not see anything that would suggest a different 'concept'."

"In that case... Miss Rose, could you please read out the description of this item?" And as if to drive the point home, Ozpin opened a drawer beneath his desk, taking out a glass bottle that was filled with some white liquid.

Ruby fixed her gaze on the display, her brow furrowed as she read and re-read it. Of course, it was the same as the first time she saw the entry, and no amount of second-guessing would change the fact that it was... different. "White potion... A potion made from grinded White Herbs that restores about 325 HP."

""... 325 HP?""

No one could hide their confusion at that statement.

* * *

"Who are you?"

Hall's voice was nervous as he asked the question, unable to understand what had just taken place before him. This was not the first time he had seen a monster shift into a human form, but it _was_ the first time that one had tried to converse with him... And the way this woman carried herself only seemed to bring more questions to the young man's mind. "... What are you?"

Perhaps that wasn't the best question, as his words quickly earned the Scholar an annoyed glance from the lilac-haired woman. Sure, it wasn't the most threatening expression one could've given, but Hall didn't forget about the fact that the dragon-turned-woman was still strong enough to knock him off his feet when he had attempted to Sense her. Not that that made sense, bu-

"I asked first, Einherjar." Her purple eyes narrowed, and Hall would've felt threatened it if weren't for the sudden introduction of a completely new term.

"Ein...what?" A look of genuine confusion appeared on the Scholar's face, the young man raising a brow as his gaze fixed itself on the violet lady.

"You're serious." The Dragon-woman's annoyed expression only grew more pronounced as she balked at the Scholar's response. However, Hall remained silent, his own expression not changing in the slightest as he stared at the woman in return. After a few seconds, the woman relented, letting out an exasperated sigh as she rolled her eyes. "Einherjar, champion of Valkyries, taken from Valhalla after you died in combat... How do you not know this?"

A look of recognition flashed on the Scholar's face, his eyes flickering back to the exchange he had between himself and that Valkyrie in the Hall of Honour, so many years ago. Not that the Valkyrie ever used that phrase, which in and of itself only brought more questions to the Scholar's mind. However, a quick look at the woman told him that any more questions would be met with violence, so Hall kept his tongue in check. Instead, he simply nodded in understanding, letting out a single "Oh..." before turning to face the woman properly.

"Good. Now that you understand, you can answer my question." Once more, her eyes narrowed, the wings in her hair twitching as she settled her gaze on the man. "How did you reach this place?"

"Err... I don't know?" It was an honest answer, and hopefully one that would be acceptable for the Dragon-woman, as the Scholar honestly had no idea how he ended up here. However, a quick glance told him that this was most certainly not the case, and all it took was a quick build-up of Spiritual Power from the woman to coax more words from Hall. "I-I accidentally teleported here when I tried to escape some grimm."

Hopefully that would be enough?

There was a momentary pause, and Hall could feel those purple eyes fixed on him, bearing down at his form as the dragon tried to process his words. Finally, she spoke out, her voice cold as she leveled a glare at the young man.

"You mean to tell me... You arrived at the final gravesite of the World Tree... by accident?"

...Wait... what?


	50. Where It Began, Where It Begins (4)

**Chapter 50**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (4)**

* * *

A stunned silence fell on the Dimensional Gap.

Was it even the Dimensional Gap? Sure, the Scholar wasn't exactly the type of character that simply listened to random people he encountered... But at the same time, the person before him was extraordinary in many ways. The fact that she had quashed the mysterious language barrier that isolated him from the rest of Remnant meant that, at the very least, she was a person of interest. And that's if he ignored the fact that she was actually a dragon. So, really, Hall was certain that the violet lady's words held some sway. And she said that, rather than the Dimensional Gap, this was...

"The gravesite of the World Tree?"

This drew another glare from the woman, her purple eyes glaring back at the scholar, the wings on her head twitching again as he spoke out. It took him a moment to realize that her ire likely came from the fact that he had asked her another question, while her own question remained. Rather than risk annoying the... dragon woman further, Hall slipped his hand into his pouch, drawing forth an item as he brought a Butterfly Wing up to the woman's face.

"I-I mean... This. I used this, and it brought me back here, rather than back to my..." His voice trailed off, unsure of how he would describe his destination. Honestly, he didn't actually _know_ where the wing would've sent him, and just assumed that it would've brought him back to Beacon, as he had mostly settled down there. Since the wing was supposed to bring him back to where he felt safest, wouldn't it logica-

The dragon woman snatched the wing from Hall's hand before he could finish the thought, bringing it up to her face as she appraised the small item. This time, the wings on her head slowly raised and lowered, reflexively moving in response to whatever thoughts were going through her mind. Or just moving for the sake of it? The Scholar had no clue, as his knowledge in dragons did not extend to those who could take a human form. Or humans who could take on a dragon form? Either way, his skills in Dragonology merely told him the most effective ways of fighting against ordinary flying lizards.

That was a thought for later, and the Scholar slowly shifted in his spot, waiting for the woman to make some sort of judgement. However, rather than speak, the Dragon decided to close her eyes, leaving the Scholar completely confused as she did whatever it was she was doing. Having no other choice, Hall was forced to wait, holding back a tired sigh as he reached into his pocket for a snack.

He deserved one, right? After the whole incident with the Bloody Knight and the grimm swarm, not to mention the terrible mistake that had been enchanting Nora with elemental lightning, Hall felt he was overdue for some delicious baked goods. Or fried fish... Nah, sweets today. Without another thought, he pulled a cookie from his pouch, withdrawing the delicious strawberry pastry as he-

"What is that?" Completely unprovoked, the Dragon's voice spoke out once more, thundering through the ceaseless void as he glared at him. What, did she have something against cookies? Hall suddenly stopped trusting her. After all, anyone who disliked cookies couldn't be a good pers-

When did he get that metric for analyzing character? Not that it wasn't a _bad_ metric, by any means, but the Scholar was still confused by the point, and it certainly gave the young man pause as he turned his attention back to the Dragon woman. In fact, he was about to voice his doubt, right before he spotted the ominous glow that flickered in the woman's eyes.

As well as the buildup of Spiritual Power.

That looming threat was more than enough to spur the Scholar on, and he quickly attempted to scramble together an answer that would've placated the creature. "...It's a cookie?"

"Ugh. Let me ask it another way, then. Why is it that only thing you have that's not formed from Ymir?"

Oh, was that all? Hall could certainly see where the confusion would come from, especially since the dragon woman was apparently something powerful enough to make distinctions between... that. Huh. Well, that little revelation caused the Scholar to shift his priorities a bit, immediately turning to answer the dragon woman as he decided that prompt answers were the best chance he had of not being snuffed out like a puny little mortal.

"I received it from the world of Remnant." That was probably the right way to go about it, right? Hall mentally nodded to himself, as he knew that monster-infested world was fundamentally different from the one he came from. "Unlike Rune-Midgard, that world is not connected to the Yggdrasil, nor the Heart of Ymir."

A contemplative look fell on the Dragon woman's face, her gaze settling down towards the ground. Unfortunately, the Scholar didn't have another answer for her, so he had little choice but to resume his previous task, which involved consuming this cookie. With a shrug, the Scholar brought the item to his mouth, taking a bite as he savoured the delicious baked good.

Crumbs fell, joining the ashes that littered the ground.

The Scholar flew.

"I have many questions for you, Einherjar." There was a cold tone to the dragon woman's voice as she made her way over the Hall's collapsed form, glaring down at him as her lilac eyes flashed with anger. With each step, the ashes flared upwards, kicking into the air before slowly settling back down. And, with each step, the dragon's steely voice mouthed off her questions. "What is Rune-Midgard... What is Remnant... Why do you thing _any_ world is still connected to Yggdrasil? And..."

"How _dare_ you defile the World Tree's grave in the presence of its Guardian?"

To say that Hall was confused would be an understatement, as the Scholar was thrown completely off-guard by the dragon's intensity. That last question, however, brought questions of his own to the young man's mind, and he couldn't stop himself from asking that important query that he should've asked the moment they met. "... Who are you?"

"You stand before Nidhoggr, the last Guardian of the World Tree Yggdrasil."

... Welp.

* * *

"And that concludes the query of the encyclopedia..."

Ozpin's voice signified the end of the presentation, almost utilitarian in his mannerisms as the Headmaster settled his gaze on the students before him, each sporting varying degrees of confusion. Not that he blamed them, his own thoughts still divided on the matter; he would've never imagined encountering a scenario this... unusual. The old man brought his mug up to his lips, masking a tired sigh behind the ceramic as he took a sip of his drink.

They had spent the better part of the day combing over the book, with neither RWBY nor JNPR willing to leave for classes. Ordinarily, he would've chided them, but the two teams were a special case, especially since they were the only students who knew of the Scholar's origins. So, while the teachers were forced to return to their duties as professors, the two student teams and their ghostly guest remained.

And, unfortunately, their efforts with the book had ultimately resulted in nothing, the tome providing no other information that they could use.

For something so filled with trivia, Ozpin found it disappointing that it had been so decidedly useless. Most of the remaining entries in the book were simply common items that was apparently prevalent in Hall's world. Granted, there were some parallels between those items and the few that Kali had remembered, especially when it came to equipment and rare minerals, which only served to further add to headmaster's growing list of questions.

But, seeing as how the only one capable of answering was missing, the man had little choice but to leave them alone. A quick glance back to his security console told the man that Hall's Scroll was still off-grid, completely outside the influence of the CCT. Coupled with the fact that they had no real way of figuring out _how_ the Scholar had actually disappeared, let alone where, and they had little opportunity to act. For all he knew, the Hall monitor had disappeared beyond the kingdoms' walls, and was in the wilderness somewhere doing who knows what.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed at that thought. A man of his age certainly had doubts, and the Scholar's character was one of the many things that the wizened man questioned... From the young man's experimental subterfuge, to whatever the Scholar had done to the Bloody Knight, there were far too many unknowns for Ozpin to trust Hall. The fact that he had performed his assigned duties meant little when the security cameras spotted his nightly excursions, after all. And now that he had disappeared? Well, that was worrying, to say the least.

"... Uhm... Professor Ozpin, sir?"

A light voice lifted Ozpin from his thoughts, and he turned his gaze back to the owner. Staring back at him were the curious eyes of Ruby Rose, the other part of the puzzle that he had been trying to figure out. When he had accepted her into the Academy, antics such as this were the last thing he had expected her to involve herself in. Yet, she was now inexorably linked to their traveler from another world, somehow gaining affinity to the mysterious air that surrounded the Scholar.

A result that somehow involved the Yggdrasil Leaf, if the encyclopedia was any indication. Perhaps he'd check on that avenue later... After all, he had not returned _all_ of the Scholar's items back from custody. But for now, he had a student to address. "Yes, Miss Rose?"

"What do we do now?"

A very reasonable question, and one that he was certainly asking of himself. His mind instantly fell back to the confiscated items that he had acquired from the Scholar. Many of the consumables remained in the School's possession, including the unknown butterfly wing that had whisked the Scholar away. Yet, Ozpin did not think it reasonable to blindly test such an item... He'd have to study it in detail later, once he dismissed the students.

In fact...

"I believe the best course of action, for all of us right now, is to simply return to our responsibilities." Ozpin did not miss the teen's reaction, her silver eyes widening in response to his statement. Before she could protest, the headmaster continued his words, slowly explaining his thoughts on the matter as he settled his gaze on the entire group. "We are not in a position to do much else, I'm afraid. I will have my contacts keep an eye out for Mr. Hall, of course, but until new developments occur, we have nothing else to go on."

"Can't you just call him or something?" Of all the students to speak up, it was Miss Valkyrie who voiced her concern, genuine curiosity in her words as she looked at the Headmaster.

Unfortunately, this meant that he had to divulge a critical piece of information.

"Mr. Hall's Scroll is currently not in service." Of course, that statement had many implications, and the last thing he wanted to do was to concern the students, so he quickly added to his words. "I believe that the transit method employed by the young man may have damaged his Scroll, so I shall inform my contacts within Vale to keep an eye out for him."

"Not in service? What do you mean? You can see things like that?" Another voice from the group, this time from the ghostly Knight that had acclimated with Team JNPR. He was surprised by the fact that Kali understood the concept behind the Scroll, as it seemed that Remnant's technology was far more advanced than that which existed in the Knight's era... or the Knight's world. Another puzzle to consider, really, and the headmaster was growing weary from the growing list of mysteries. So many things left unanswered.

But that would be for later. For now, he had to say something to the inquisitive ghost, as well as the rest of the students who began sharing her curiosity.

"Well, to put it simply, Mr. Hall is carrying a staff-assigned Scroll. This means that, under normal circumstances, I'd be able to track its location through my terminal. However, this is not the case, which I attribute to the assumption that his device itself has been damaged."

"But... what if it's not?" Ruby Rose spoke out once more, doubt still clinging to her expression as she stared up at the headmaster. "It didn't feel like that teleporting thing could damage stuff."

"For now, we must consider all possibilities, and prepare for the ones that we can influence." Ozpin's voice was quiet as he turned his attention to his console. "If Mr. Hall's device is simply malfunctioning, then it would in everyone's best interest if we uncover his whereabouts. And if it's not... then we are not in a position to do much but wait."

That was enough to silence the redhead, her gaze shifting away from the headmaster as it tried to settle somewhere else. Ozpin knew that the teenager, as well as most of the students, had grown accustomed to the hall monitor's presence. The last thing that Ozpin enjoyed was quashing optimism, especially when it involved the fate of an acquaintance, so he allowed himself to settle into an encouraging tone as he relaxed his posture.

"Rest assured students, even in the worst case scenario, Mr. Hall is fully capable of taking care of himself. There is no need to worry about his well-being, especially when you all have your own tasks to deal with." Even he could tell that that wasn't quite enough to assuage the students' worries, so he decided to add in one final bit of humour. "Instead, I recommend you all focus on your studies for the moment. I'm sure that, despite his duties as a tutor, Mr. Hall wouldn't be _that_ accepting of assisting students with their studies so soon after returning."

Ozpin smiled at the the embarrassed cough that came from the two teams' leaders. With that finally out of the way, the headmaster quickly shifted his focus to the next topic, his eyes settling on a certain ghostly Knight. "Before you all leave, however, I'd like to speak with Miss Kali about her stay in Beacon... And considering her affinity with Mr. Arc, I'd like to ask Team JNPR to be present for the discussion as well."

"What about us?" Once again, Team RWBY's leader spoke out, this time with curiosity rather than worry as the girl settled her gaze on the headmaster.

"Well... The discussion itself is about dormitory arrangements, so I don't imagine it'll be terribly interesting for you four. Of course, you're welcome to stay if you wish." Ozpin could see the conflict in Ruby Rose's face as she weighed the issue. However, he would never be privy to her final solution, as the young girl was quickly seized by her elder sister, dragging her out of her thoughts as they made their way to the elevator.

"Nah, we're good! Right sis?"

"W-wait a-!"

The rest of Miss Rose's teammates seemed to agree with the decision, following behind the two siblings as they entered the elevator proper.

And with that, Team RWBY departed.

* * *

The trip back to their dormitory was not necessarily a quiet one, but Blake still found it relatively peaceful, considering how the day had passed. Granted, the two sisters had been arguing about whether or not they should've remained at the headmaster's office, but both seemed to agree that it didn't matter that much, as they'd be able to glean the information from Team JNPR later.

Rather than the ghost's living arrangements, Blake found her thoughts flitting to the entire day as a whole.

It didn't escape her notice that they had effectively missed a day of school, as the initial reason for their escapade was Jaune's sudden departure via rocket locker. To say that that was unexpected was unnecessary; the only only plans she really had for today was to ask the Scholar more about the book of magic. And while they _had_ eventually gleaned some information from the man, it was overshadowed by the rest of the day's events... Sudden grimm incursions and mysterious vengeful ghosts were far more important than cursory learning, after all.

Blake's brow furrowed at that thought. The entire exchange with the Bloody Knight had seemed... off to her. Whether it was her faunus instincts, or the fact that the conversation between the armoured Revenant and the Scholar were taken second-hand, Blake Belladonna felt that the entire situation simply didn't match up. Why was the knight so convinced that Hall was related to his past? For that matter, why were there so many parallels between Hall's world and the one that the ghosts knew? Ghosts plural, since it seemed that Kali had some opinions of the Scholar's history as well.

There were still plenty of differences between Hall and Kali's worlds, of course, and that doesn't even begin to touch on how Kali seems convinced that Remnant was her world... So how much was supposition, and how much was fact? Were there three worlds, where Remnant, Midgard, and Rune-Midgard are divorced from one another, and people from these distinct places just happened to meet by coincidence? Was Midgard and Rune-Midgard actually the same place, with historical differences accounting for the change in name and terminology? Or, was-

"Finally, we're here." Yang's voice quickly shook Blake from her thoughts, as her partner opened the door to their dormitory without a second thought. The rest of Team RWBY followed behind her, Blake included, and the girls began the arduous task of settling down. Perhaps it was just her thoughts occupying her body, but the moment she stepped into the room, the lady in black realized how exhausted she truly felt. Almost unconsciously, she crawled into her bed, sitting down on her bottom bunk as she let out a tired sigh.

"Blaargh."

Her leader was no different, flopping over onto the bottom bunk where Weiss slept once she neared her side of the room. This caused the heiress to scold the little redhead, but Blake paid that conversation no mind as she slowly turned her attention towards her bookshelf. Something had bothered her throughout the walk, and that thought did not quell just because they had arrived back at their dorm.

On the contrary, the moment she spotted her books, Blake's thoughts flared further, a certain possibility floating in her mind as she took out a specific book: The Principles of Magic.

After all, the Bloody Knight they had met seemed to be as capable of using magic as Hall was... and if they came from two different worlds, whose to say that Remnant was the exception?


	51. Where It Began, Where It Begins (5)

**Chapter 51**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (5)**

* * *

The Scholar stood silent, his brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the woman. Certainly, what little of her he had witnessed lent itself to this claim, as she was undoubtedly a being of significant power. But, at the same time, he had not heard of anything related to Yggdrasil having a guardian, let alone someone with a unique name like "Nidhoggr". Sure, it wasn't too outlandish, given the names of nations and adventurers he had witness in Rune-Midgard, but he was still surprised that absolutely no one had mentioned the World Tree's alleged guardian.

This discrepancy was especially worrying considering how prolific the World Tree's bounties were; After all, in his world, merchants freely sold the leaves of Yggdrasil without any worry for supply, while Adventurers traded large quantities of the seeds and fruit as needed. And just as the people were blessed by Yggdrasil's gifts, so too were the monsters themselves, as Hall had personally witnessed numerous creatures drop items related to the World Tree. So, given the prevalence of these items, why was the name of the draconic guardian so foreign to him?

... That question was soon followed by many more, as the words of that a certain ghostly guardsman echoed in the Scholar's mind. How _did_ Rune-Midgard acquire these items of Yggdrasil? His knowledge told him that the World Tree was located in some place disjointed from Rune-Midgard, connected to it on more than a physical level, as it served as a proverbial bridge between worlds... So how come the items of Yggdrasil were so commonplace?

The Scholar was growing more and more concerned with the fact that no one mentioned this little discrepancy. No one questioned the mysterious supply, despite the knowledge available on the World Tree? Really, considering how accessible the information was, he was surprised that he was the only one to have learned it from...

Hall blinked. Where _had_ he learned it from? Was it from a textbook in the Floating City of Sages? No... That's not right. Hall was all but certain that the City of Juno had nothing related to the World tree. In fact, now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember any-

"A- _hem_." A certain draconic guardian made her presence known, clearing her throat with mild annoyance as she directed a glare towards the scholar. The woman's—Nidhoggr's face darkened, lilac eyes narrowing as her voice grew colder. "I expected more from a child of Ymir; Reverence, curiosity, or perhaps hostility... but silent disbelief? Are you truly an Einherjar?"

With a curious question like that, the Scholar couldn't afford to stay dumbfounded. Quelling his confusion came easy to him, Hall quickly pushing aside his previous emotion as his face returned to a neutral stare, his eyes turning to the draconic woman's own tenuous stare. "... What's an Einherjar?"

There was a moment of silence.

"What do you mean ' _What's an Einherjar_ '?!"

Nidhoggr's voice shot out as her composure slackened, the violet lady's eyes wide with surprise, shock replacing the previous irritation on her face. She seemed to struggle with herself, unsure of whether to lash out or deflate as the guardian locked her gaze with the Scholar's. The woman settled for a questioning glance, trying to read his expression with a furrowed brow. Yet, Hall could offer nothing more than a blank expression of ignorance, the corner of dragon's mouth curling downwards slightly before she finally spoke out.

"... You're serious, aren't you?"

All the Scholar could do was nod, unable to offer anything else as he turned his attention fully to the ancient guardian. This gesture only seemed to irritate the woman further, as she brought a hand up to her forehead with a sigh. "How is it possible that you haven't heard the term? It's a name given to all warriors who have died and earned the right to Valhalla. Given your... familiarity with Yggdrasil, as well as the power of Ymir that you hold in your possession, I'm all but convinced you're an Einherjar."

This revelation was met with silence from the Scholar, his mind trying to make sense of this. Warriors who died and earned the right to Valhalla...? What exactly did that mean? After all, his passage to Valhalla was completely unrelated to death. Of course, as an Adventurer, Hall had brushed with death numerous times, but the Scholar knew full well that his reincarnation was due to something else entirely.

"But... I entered Valhalla through the Heart of Ymir. Or, with it, I guess?" The Scholar paused at that statement. He wasn't quite sure what the process was, but it definitely involved the Book of Ymir, as well as the Ymir Heart fragment that was kept inside the Floating City of Juno.

Surprise flashed on the Dragon's face, present only for just a moment before the woman suppressed her expression. Instead, she narrowed her eyes, settling her sight on the Scholar. "... Is that so? And what did you do in this 'Valhalla'?"

Hall could sense a shift in tone from woman's voice, her mood shifting inextricably as she spoke the name 'Valhalla'. It was barely noticeable, but his interactions with the staff of Beacon was enough to hone his conversational skill to the point of picking it up.

Or maybe the Dragon was just bad at subtlety. Either way, the Scholar still had to respond to her question.

"Well... I approached the Valkyrie, where she stripped away the skills and memories of my previous life..."

Hall had to stop himself from questioning his own words; the fact that he could remember the process verbatim was obviously an indicator that his previous memories weren't discarded, even if his skills had been. Rather than question that, however, he merely continued, reciting the scene from his mind. "From there, she granted me the blessing of the three goddesses: Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld. With these blessing bestowed upon me, I was reincarnated and sent back to the world of Rune-Midgard."

Was his description too brief? The Scholar wasn't quite sure how much detail he should've given, as the event itself was relatively dull. Sure, it was Rebirth, and that in itself would've been cause for an existential crisis. But, to the Scholar, it had merely been a conversation and a... job change? It felt very much like the time when he had graduated from being a simple Mage, and had earned his title of Sage.

The Scholar's eyes bore into the ground. That _can't_ be right. Can it?

"That's absurd." Nidhoggr's voice snapped Hall from his thoughts, as the draconic woman echoed out her disbelief. Her eyes fell on the Scholar, glowing with some indiscernible light as she stared into him, her face stuck in a complicated mixture of disbelief and... something else. "Yet, you are not lying. How is this possible?"

Hall was not quite sure what she meant, but before he could question further, the draconic guardian spoke first. Again, she brought forth a question, her eyes glowing as she stared at the young man. "... When did you experience this?"

That was an odd question, and one that the Scholar had to think on. It had been a while since he had reincarnated, but he had returned to Valhalla twice more after that: once to formally ascend from High Mage to Scholar, and once when he had used the Leaf of Yggdrasil on Ruby. Perhaps it'd be best to simply mention all three instances?

"I ascended... maybe a half year ago, I guess?" Was that right? He couldn't quite remember the passage of time, as many cities in Rune-Midgard seemed to be wreathed in perpetual day or night. On the other hand, Remnant was far more stable... But was it an adequate frame of reference? Well, he really didn't have any better alternatives, so why not? "Yeah, around that. And a month after my rebirth, I returned to Valhalla once again to earn the title of Scholar.

"And finally, three or so weeks ago, I arrived there one last time after I used the Leaf of Yggdrasil to restore an associate of mine... Though that last visit was odd, as the Valkyrie had stated it wasn't Valhalla." Hall wasn't quite sure what to make of that last bit of information, as the place he had ended up looked exactly like the Hall of Honour from his memories, so he had ignored it at the time. Now, however, the man could see Nidhoggr's face darken at his words.

He couldn't understand why. The Scholar was being as truthful as possible in regards to his recollection, and he was certain she could somehow verify that. So why was she so... tense?

The female dragon took in a deep breath, her eyes closing as she began processing the Scholar's words. Silence hung in the air for a few moments, the worlds completely still as Nidhoggr began picking her words. Just as it came, however, the silence passed, as the Dragon's eyes fell on Hall.

"I was wrong... You are not Einherjar. In fact, I know neither what you are, nor where you came from." That... didn't sound good. Hall listened to the dragon with growing concern, as her voice grew grave. "However, I do know this: Yggdrasil acts as the bridge between the nine worlds. Without her, none may visit another plane directly... and yet, you say you spoke with a Valkyrie who bequeathed to you the blessings of Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld?"

The way she asked that question worried the Scholar greatly, yet he could do little but nod.

"... The Valkyries serve only Freya or Odin. No Valkyrie would dare seek out the Norns of Fate for a blessing, least of all the three great Norns."

This was the first time Hall had heard of that rule. Wasn't Freya and Odin at odds with one another? He vaguely recalled the differences in religion between the Arunafeltz States and the rest of the world, but his thoughts were quickly silenced by dragon's next words.

"But, rather than that, something much more important needs to be addressed. It has been countless millennia since Yggdrasil had burned."

There was no hint of deception in Nidhoggr's voice, her eyes fixed with the Scholar as the dragon spoke out with a sense of finality.

"The bonds between worlds have long been severed by Ragnarok."

* * *

For a single moment, Ozpin paused.

He wasn't quite sure why, but he had felt an ache in some long-forgotten bone in his body. Was it a sign of old age? He gave out a sigh, his eyes falling to his desk as he observed his growing pile of paperwork.

Budget statements, tax reports, staff audits, and a whole host of other documents lay on the table, with varying degrees of verbosity and relevancy. He wasn't quite sure whether Beacon was even supposed to _have_ shipping manifests, yet even they were flat on his desk. The headmaster let out a sigh, turning his attention to his mug once more as he took in another sip of coffee.

This work was usually handled by Glynda, and for good reason; the Headmaster had neither the attention nor the aptitude to focus on most of these things, and his ability to field them had dwindled drastically in light of recent developments. Was it any surprise that, instead of the important school-related forms, Ozpin's focus had turned to a certain napkin scrawled with translations?

Of course not.

Ozpin quickly pushed the paperwork aside, before reaching into one of the drawers of his desk. It took only a few moments for the man to find his target, as he pulled out a thick book from the cabinet, the cover scrawled with an illegible text... At least, it was illegible before the leader of Team RWBY had provided him with a translation tool. Now that he had the means, however, the aged man could finally begin deciphering some of the texts that he had confiscated from the missing Hall monitor.

After all, the young man was still on probation, so it was hardly surprising that Ozpin kept hold of his things.

The reason why Ozpin's focus fell on this book, however, was more than just simple curiosity. The headmaster had lived in this world for a long time, and with such extensive age came experience... which, in turn, tempered intuition. It was this intuition that had caused Ozpin to keep hold of certain items in the Hall Monitor's possession. Even now, he wasn't quite sure why the Scholar had kept these items, but since the moment he had laid eyes on them, Ozpin could tell that a few of the Scholar's artifacts had to be kept away.

Taking out the book proper, Ozpin once again felt an air of darkness hang around him, subtly leaking from the ancient tome. It was... similar to the sensation that grimm gave off, but still different enough to be its own aura of unease to it. Now that he had the translation napkin, however, Ozpin could finally see what sort of book would give off such an oppressive air.

It took less than a minute for the headmaster to translate the book.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed as he read the title. Part of him wanted to ask Miss Rose to confirm it, but he knew full well that such an event would be detrimental to a budding huntress-in-training. Especially one of her temperament.

Instead, he read over the words once again, using the translation tool a second, then third time. Each time, it returned the same response, the letters scrawled on the book utterly unmistakeable.

"... The Book of the Apocalypse. Is that so?"

The book itself seemed to respond to his question, an shadow on the book's elaborate cover shifting ever so slightly, before growing still as it melted back into the tome. This effect was not lost on the headmaster, and he merely put the book away once again, slipping it back into his desk where other, equally unnerving items lay.

It seems that the Scholar has a great many things to answer for.

* * *

"Hey Blake, whatcha reading?"

Her leader's voice came quicker than she had expected. Part of her wanted to be surprised that Weiss had finished her lecture early, but Blake Belladonna knew full well that something so trivial wouldn't take too much time... And she _had_ been reading the book since they had returned to their dorms.

"Nothing much." Blake shrugged at Ruby's question, looking up at her leader's silver eyes for just a moment before turning back to book. The silence that followed was more than enough to tell her that neither Ruby nor the rest of the team believed that statement. Still, she chose to ignore them, her attention turning to the rough translation sheet that was required for reading the Scholar's books.

"Hey!" The red leader was the first to catch the book's title, eyes widening as she pointed an accusing finger at Blake "That's not nothing much! That's one of Hall's magic books!"

"Yes... And?" Blake's eyes remained focused on the book's pages, reading over the words with a frown. Translating word-by-word was tedious at best, and was more than enough to lessen any meaning derived from the book. Perhaps she should translate an entire passage first, then re-read it? With that thought in mind, the lady-in-black turned away from the book, reaching over her bookshelf to retrieve a notebook and pen.

It was then that she noticed her leader pouting at her, cheeks puffed up as the hooded leader mock-glared at Blake.

"Um...?"

"Why are you reading it by yourself? Didn't we all promise to study it together?"

Had they? Well, if so, then that certainly explained the childish expression that Ruby held on her face. Blake sent an inquisitive glance to the rest of her team, only to the remaining members staring back at her. The heiress's expression was one of tempered patience, but she could tell that Weiss wanted read the book just as much as Ruby did. Her partner, on the other hand, was sporting a huge grin for some odd reason...

"Don't worry about it, Rubes." Yang waved her hand dismissively, before pointing towards the notebook and pen that the lady-in-black had retrieved. "She's just going to write down easy-to-read notes for all of us. Isn't that right, Blakey?"

Blake rolled her eyes at that statement. Of _course_ her partner would say that.

"Wouldn't it be better if you wrote your own notes on this?" The response was almost automatic, since Yang had asked similar questions for school-related stuff. Yet, the point still stood, and Blake shrugged at her partner. Then again... Writing it out in easy-to-read notes would probably help her with comprehension, so it wasn't like Yang's suggestion didn't have merit.

She'd just rather the blonde not profit from it.

"Aww, c'mon Blake. I'll buy you lunch for the next week?"

... That was certainly a tempting idea. Blake sent a quick glance towards her partner, and the look on the blonde's face was enough to tell the faunus that she wasn't joking. She began to seriously consider the idea, letting out a contemplative hum.

"Lunch, and you take notes for Port's class for the next week." It wasn't like she was trying to completely discourage Yang or anything... But the blonde brawler had taken to sleeping in that class. Given the fact that her partner always asked her for her notes, Blake wanted some way to get back at her.

"Sure thing!"

That surprised Blake, and she sent a hesitant glance towards her partner. And just as before, she saw no trace of deceit on the brawler's expression, her grin somehow assuring her that she would get the notes for next week. So, against her better judgement, Blake relented to the deal.

"... Alright. In that case, I'll write out my findings."

"Yes! Thanks." And with that little cheer out of the way, Yang immediately turned towards the little white heiress of Team RWBY. "Hey Weissy, you mind if I borrow your notes for the next week? I'll trade you some magic notes for it."

There were no words.

Blake simply let out a tired sigh, shooting a half-hearted glare at her partner before finally turning her attention back to the magic book. At least, that's what she had intended to do; instead, the book was missing entirely, as a certain hooded leader had decided to impose her tyrannical reign during the little exchange.

"Ruby. May I have that book back, please?"

"Nope." The little leader's voice was almost sing-song as she denied Blake's request, which only caused the woman to let out a tired sigh. Part of her couldn't blame the younger woman, as the prospect of learning magic was undoubtedly even more tantalizing to her than it was to Blake. But... that was only one part of her.

The other part? Well, she quickly made use of her technical skills to swipe the book back.

"Hey! No fair!" Once more, Ruby's voice rang out, almost childish in its tone as she waved her arms at the black-haired member of Team RWBY. "Give that back!... Please?"

Blake, for her part, ignored the red teenager's second pout entirely, her focus turning back to the book's pages as she began transcribing the words onto her notebook. It was still a tedious process, but now that she was writing with an audience in mind, she began taking her time with the passages, translating them in a rough draft before reading and re-reading it over, in an attempt to comprehend their meaning.

So, it was a pleasant surprise to find that, to some degree, she did.


	52. Where It Began, Where It Begins (6)

**Chapter 52**  
 **Where it Began, Where it Begins (6)**

* * *

"But... How is that possible?"

Concern filled the Scholar's voice as he focused his gaze on the Guardian of the late World Tree, his words echoing through the empty air. Part of his mind was still skeptical of the woman's words, but that doubt was based on general distrust, rather than anything concrete. And even that tiny voice was unable to find a flaw in Nidhoggr's tone when she presented her statement, leaving the Scholar completely lost.

This earned the Scholar an unamused glare from the draconic woman, her eyes level as she shook her head. For some reason, the woman's expression had changed once more, dropping her serious tone in favour of a displeased glance as she settled her gaze on Hall. "Are you sincerely asking how Ragnarok caused the World Tree to burn? Or how the loss of Yggdrasil severed the connection between worlds?"

Oh. Well, that certainly explains her annoyance.

"N-no! That's not what I meant!" The Scholar quickly shook his head, trying to dispel the image of his ignorance, his hands waving in the air in an almost comical fashion. Had he always protested so... childishly? Then again, that was the least of his concerns. "What I meant was..."

Hall paused for just a moment. Just what exactly did he want to ask? Certainly, he wanted to ask about everything, from the sheer extent of Ragnarok and the gods, to how the loss of the world tree hadn't influenced Rune-Midgard's supply of Yggdrasil items in the slightest. And that's not even mentioning Remnant, or that he had somehow arrived from Remnant to this place, despite the fact that the world tree was no longer connected to anything.

Oh. Well, there was his question. The Scholar settled his gaze back towards the Guardian, his voice low as he gestured to the item in her grasp. "How was it possible for me to end up here? If the world tree is truly... gone... and this was where it last lay, how did my Butterfly wing send me back here?"

To put it lightly, none of this made any sense. Which made the situation worse when it became clear that the Guardian dragon was as ignorant of the situation as Hall was.

The Scholar could tell that the woman was lost in contemplation, and given how hard she seemed to be thinking on the matter, Hall was unsure if this was a good thing. Whether it was habitual or intentional, the tiny wings in the woman's hair began to twitch, sporadically fluttering beneath her locks as she stewed in her thoughts. Her lilac eyes shifted away from the Scholar, settling down on some spot in the empty air as she took in a deep breath.

"I don't know. I don't even know what this item is, nor do I recognize it from any of the nine worlds." Nidhoggr's eyes settled on the butterfly wing, glowing with a brilliant light for just a moment before she turned attention back to Hall. "Where did you acquire this artifact?"

That question was... worrying. To the Scholar, and to the adventurers of Rune-Midgard as a whole, the butterfly wing was one of the most important supplies they could carry. Far more important than even medical supplies or catalysts, many people made sure to have a collection of butterfly wings should their situation turn dire. The items were so prolific, Hall had yet to find a general store merchant who did _not_ carry it.

So why was the item so foreign to the alleged guardian of the World Tree? It was clear that she had no idea what it was, despite the fact that it was a natural component of one of the creatures of Rune-Midgard. Hall had no answers for that, nor was he able to speculate on the matter, as the dragon woman's eyes began narrowing in irritation once more.

"I brought it from my world of Rune-Midgard."

"Is that so..." Nidhoggr's voice trailed off as she settled her gaze back onto the butterfly wing once more. A strange energy began to fill the air, focusing around the item with a soft light. Hall couldn't tell what the energy meant, only that it originated from the dragon. However, just as quickly as it appeared, the sensation faded into nothingness, leaving behind a confused Scholar and a concerned Guardian dragon. "In that case, tell me more about this 'Rune-Midgard'."

The gaze that the dragon sent Hall spoke volumes. Even Hall could see that something was bothering the woman... Just how did it relate to Rune-Midgard?

Regardless, the Scholar complied, easing into a practiced lecture as he began telling her of his world.

* * *

Anxious.

That was the best way to describe her current mood. Ruby Rose couldn't help but feel anxious as she began shifting her attention around the dorm. She was never the most patient in her family, and while she was certainly better than Yang in that regards, she was still a girl of action. And really, they needed to do _something_. The debriefing they had gone through with Ozpin and the teachers were... helpful, in a way? But they were also the opposite of that.

A sigh escaped the teenager's lips as she flopped back onto her bed, her back dropping unceremoniously onto the mattress. Her feet dangled off the edge of the upper bunkbed, the entire structure shaking a bit as Ruby tried to sort through her thoughts. And unfortunately, her thoughts weren't as cheerful as she would've liked.

Sure, the whole magic thing with Hall's books was definitely interesting, but it only served to bury the concerns that the little debriefing had brought up in the first place. And she knew that ignoring the whole fiasco wouldn't really help with anything.

The problem was, thinking about it wouldn't help either.

Ruby's turned her attention away from the ceiling, rolling to her side as she reached into her bookbag. She should probably put it away or something, before Weiss yells at her for leaving it lying around. Oh well. Instead, the redhead reached into the container, sorting through the various books, spending a good half minute before finally pulling out the source of her worries: A familiar encyclopedia written in an unfamiliar language.

Well, okay, it wasn't the entire book worrying her, but she shouldn't need to say that. That one page was already enough to give her a book's worth of worry, and Ruby really didn't need anything more than that.

She opened up the book, flipping to the page in question as her eyes scanned over the paper. Unfortunately, neither the text nor the pictures changed, leaving the same strange words as they had found during the hearing at the headmaster's office. Ruby's eyes remained fixed on the tome, trying to extract some sort of insight from the image of the Red Potion.

"... HP. Why would the book call it HP?" It wasn't just the wording, but the context that it was written in. This was supposed to be an encyclopedia, right? Why was it referring to stuff in game-y terms like HP and restore, rather than the confusing medical terms that she found in the School's books? Honestly, Ruby had no idea, and the more she stared at the book, the less she coul-

"Maybe because it's based on something from another world?"

Eep!

The annoyed voice of Ruby's partner echoed out from below, breaking the hooded leader from her thoughts. Maybe it was because she was focused so intently on the book, or maybe because she was genuinely worried about something, but the heiress's sudden words were enough to cause Ruby to jump in alarm. This, in turn, meant that she lost her grip on the encyclopedia causing it to fall off the side of the bed. The good news was that it didn't hit anyone on its way down.

The bad news was, it still hit _something_. Ruby could tell that much from the loud thumps and clatters that had followed from the book's descent.

"Ack! Just what do you think you're doing, you idiot?" Once more, Weiss's voice filled the room, though she had more of a reason to this time. Ruby poked her head out from her bed, peeking over the edge of the mattress to find that the encyclopedia had collided violently with Weiss's notebook, leaving both books sprawled messily on the ground. As well as various pens and loose papers.

"S-Sorry about that! I'll clean it up!" And just like that, Ruby vanished into a puff of rose petals, only to appear beside her partner an instant later. Her attention was already focused on the mess, leaving her ignorant of the growing expression of annoyance on the heiress's face as flower petals fell into her hair. Instead, Ruby's silver eyes were fixed on the fallen book and papers, gathering them up in a messy pile.

Next was the pens and pencils! They were much easier to sort out, since they all rolled into the corner over here, behind the big book that Weiss was using for... reference... Wait a minute.

"Ancient Magic...?" That was certainly something Ruby hadn't expected. She could tell by the ornate cover and the not-Valean-text that it was one of Hall's books. However, the title was one she didn't recognize, and the little red leader couldn't help but throw a confused glance at her partner. Of course, it only took Ruby a few moments to understand the meaning of the book's title, and the confusion quickly changed to childish pouting. "Wait, you're studying magic too? That's not fair! I've never even seen this book before! Where'd you get it?"

"Blake had it." Weiss supplied her answer with a quick nod to their bow-wearing teammate, who seemed to have ignored the entire incident.

Indeed, Blake seemed content to ignore Ruby and Weiss entirely, her amber eyes remaining fixed on the magic book in her possession, one hand slowly turning over embroidered pages while the other wrote away on a notebook. Even when her name was mentioned, the girl in question only gave a non-committal grunt, not even looking up from her bed as she continued to transcribe her notes.

Ruby _really_ wanted to ask if Blake had any more books, but she knew that her friend was busy; Even moreso now that her sister had made that deal. And considering the fact that her teammate was really good at taking notes, Ruby had decided that the best thing to do was to leave her alone.

But that didn't mean she couldn't pester her partner! A new thought flitted into Ruby's mind instantly, and the girl quickly turned back to face the heiress. After all, Weiss didn't need the book as much as Blake, right? Maybe they could both read it! The teenager's face was bright and cheery as her silver eyes focused back on her partner's light-blue eyes, her face beaming as Ruby sent the heiress a sincere smile.

"Weiiiiss... Can I-"

"No."

Her smile crumbled instantly. Ruby's shoulders fell, her previously chipper expression replaced by a crestfallen look of utter despair. The red leader lowered her gaze to the floor for just a moment, before finding the strength to look back towards her partner's cold, unfeeling, evil eyes of cruelty and mean-ness. "W-why not? It's not like having two people reading a book would slow things down or anything!"

Weiss did not budge from her position. Instead, her eyes narrowed, focusing completely on the little red leader. Ruby could swear the room had lowered in temperature or something, as the look that her partner had given her was cold enough to stop her in her thoughts. Silence filled the room, the hooded leader not willing to talk, as she took in the sight of the annoyed Ice Queen in all her passive-aggressive glory.

" _You_ ," Weiss put emphasis on that word, as she snapped her finger towards Ruby, pointing at her with an accusatory glance, "still haven't finished your homework from last week."

Wait. What?

Once more, Ruby's expression shifted, this time from worry to outright confusion. Was Weiss really worried about homework at this point in time? They had far more important things to worry about, didn't they? Yet, Ruby could tell that her partner was not joking around, as the glare that the lady-in-white gave was frigid enough to stop even Yang's puns. Still, the girl _had_ to ask.

"...Homework? Really?"

"Yes."

All her partner gave was a single word, Weiss's tone short and concise as she stared at Ruby. This in itself was enough to confuse the red leader, and it would've given her partner ample time to snatch the book from her grasp... were it not for the fact that Ruby's semblance was her speed. So, instead returning the book about otherworldly magic, Ruby had given her partner another text to use instead.

A cookbook that specialized in seafood.

Her partner casually discarded the book, and Ruby could see anger in her eyes as she shot glare at the hooded leader. Even her eye was twitching, though Ruby wasn't sure whether that was intentional or not... Weiss liked to make a show of things at times.

"Really? _Really?_ You're going to act like this?"

Okay, Ruby was sure that her partner was just making a show of it now. After all, if she was really angry, she'd ask it in a different way, and probably do a lot more glaring and yelling. Still, the red leader could tell that she was annoyed, so it would probably be best if she-

A knock at their dormitory door jolted everyone from their thoughts. Who could that be?

Unfortunately, this meant that Ruby had to relinquish her book, as she was closest to the door. Weiss and Blake were still seated in their respective beds, and Yang had commandeered their bathroom for the next hour or so. Not to mention she was the leader.

Letting out a sigh, Ruby handed the book back towards Weiss, before making her way to the door, unlocking and opening it as her eyes settled on their visitor. A certain redhaired visitor, whose green eyes were filled with worry.

"...Pyrrha? Is everything okay?"

"Hello Ruby. I apologize for intruding, but... may I come in?"

* * *

Ironwood frowned. His reflection returned the gesture, eyes staring back at him in a neutral glare as he adjusted his suit.

He knew Ozpin wouldn't appreciate him arriving so suddenly like this, and even he had doubts about leaving Atlas this early in the year. Students were only beginning to adjust to academy life, and it was important for them to have a figurehead to look up to, as well as a stabilizing force to help them temper their efforts. Still, Ironwood's last conversation with his old friend had been... worrying, considering how abruptly it ended.

What made it worse was the fact that even Qrow had no idea what was going on. Sure, he and the scythe-wielding huntsman had very different philosophies, which usually caused no small amount of tension whenever they communicated. With that said, this didn't change the fact that they still communicated with one another, and both men understood the other well enough to gauge tone.

That's why Ironwood knew that Qrow wasn't kidding when he admitted to having no idea what Ozpin was involved in. Just as, undoubtedly, Qrow knew that _he_ wasn't kidding when he brought up how serious the issue was.

And it was most certainly serious; Despite what he had informed Ozpin, his scouts had spotted more than just an errant bullhead in the Emerald Forest. Observation teams had reported a huge increase in grimm throughout the month, with far high numbers than normal for the region. Not only that, but he had heard some unsettling rumours about things dwelling in the forest that were neither animals nor grimm.

Oh, and there was the whole incident at the start of the month, where his subordinates had spotted countless fireballs raining down onto the Emerald Forest, appearing without rhyme or reason in the middle of the night sky.

Ozpin had many questions he needed to answer. And while James knew that his friend had reasons for keeping quiet on the matter, he couldn't afford to wait until Ozpin was ready to share what he knew. Their enemies were growing more troublesome with each passing day, and if the happenings that were occurring at the Emerald Forest were related to them, James had to know. This was why he had no choice but to ask Beacon's headmaster in person... which, in turn, meant that he would have to visit Beacon much earlier than intended.

The Atlesian general couldn't help but let out a tired sigh, turning his attention back to the mirror as he gave giving himself one final inspection. Another tweak of his suit, a slight adjustment in his tie... His collar was unbalanced here as well.

Once he was finally satisfied with his image, the Atlesian general drew out his Scroll, his thumb hovering over the numbers of a few key contacts. As loathe as he was to admit it, he needed to stand at ceremony for many of these contacts, which meant he needed to fill his public image of Atlas's General. Communication with Ozpin was one thing, but Ironwood still needed to inform his academy about his departure. Not only that, but the council would likely have questions for him as well, so he'd have to come up with something suitably reasonable to placate them.

Thankfully, he could put off that headache until later. First things first, he should probably contact Ozpin to inform him of his visit. Having decided on that course of action, James selected his friend's number, pressing a few more buttons on his Scroll before sending off the video call.

"Ah, James. Apologies, but somethings came up after our last call. I had intended to get back to you after it had concluded, but... it must've slipped my mind." Ozpin's response came moments later, the device carrying Ozpin's nonchalant attitude perfectly, as the green-garbed man of Beacon turned his attention towards the Atlesian General. "Though I'm surprised you've decided to call, given how busy you look."

On that, James could agree, as his gaze turned downwards to formal suit. Not that he disliked it or anything, but the suit always meant business, and that was a tell that Ozpin picked up on a long time ago.

"Actually... The reason why I'm busy at the moment is related to Beacon." James's voice was neutral, his eyes locking with Ozpin's as he tried to read his friend. As always, he failed, as Ozpin's expression betrayed no hint of surprise or worry.

Instead, the only expression that Ozpin gave out was a coffee-related one, taking in a deep breath as he brought his mug upwards. Silence reigned for almost a minute, both men silent as Ozpin drank from his mug. Even that soon passed, however, and the Beacon Headmaster was finally ready to continue the conversation. "Beacon, you say? Is this related to what we discussed earlier?"

"Unfortunately, it is." Hopefully, the Scroll was enough to convey James's tone, as the situation was slowly growing more serious. Sure, incidents were still low-key, with only minor dust shops being attacked, but Ironwood knew that it was only a matter of time until something more serious happens. That's why this little visit to Beacon would be necessary. "You see, I plan to visit Beacon earlier this year."

And while Ozpin's expressions were often guarded, even Ironwood could see a look of anxiety flash over Ozpin's face, lasting for a few short seconds before fading back into neutrality.

"... I see."

* * *

"... And that's all I know of Yggdrasil, Rune-Midgard, and Remnant."

Hall had spent the better part of the... hour? How long has it been now? Either way, the last chunk of time had been dedicated to explaining his background to the dragon woman. Sure, there were still a few things he was unsure about, such as the mysterious language barrier between him and the denizens of Remnant, or the striking similarities between Midgard and Rune-Midgard, but his confusion didn't seem to bother the Guardian Dragon too much.

If anything, it seemed to help Nidhoggr with whatever insight she was trying to gain. She seemed far more relaxed now, her wings idly flowing in time with her breaths, a sharp contrast to the irritated twitching from earlier. The problem was, the Scholar wasn't sure if that change was good or bad.

Still, by the time he had finished his explanation the Guardian of the World Tree seemed to have lessened her... Hostility? No, that wasn't quite right. She had been fairly guarded around him before, but it wasn't anything overt. Besides, they had met through combat rather than anything else, so he couldn't even blame her for that. Now, however, the dragon woman seemed to be far more relaxed, casually digesting the new information as she settled her gaze back on the Scholar.

"I think I understand your position now. More importantly, I believe I have a rough idea of how this works."

The violet lady held out her hand as she spoke those words, revealing the butterfly wing from earlier, now wreathed in a pale blue light. The was the same spiritual energy that emanated from the dragon, and while Hall didn't immediately recognize the energy itself, he could recognize its purpose.

She had planned to use the butterfly wing in some way... But how?

"What do you plan to do with it?"

The woman gave off a faint hum, almost singsong as she settled her gaze on the Scholar. It was... unnerving. "Oh, nothing much. I just plan to send you back to that other world you seem so attached to."

Okay, what? Even the Scholar had to question that. Sure, he appreciated the gesture, but that was certainly an odd thing to decide on so quickly. Hall threw a curious glance at the Dragon, his confusion speaking volumes well before he could open his mouth.

"And before you say anything, it's because you still trespassed here in the first place, remember?"

And considering he was now less confused about her motivations, Hall no longer had anything to ask. At least, that should've been the case... However, he still had to question her motivations. If she was the guardian of the World Tree, shouldn't she have more questions for him? He had mentioned things like the Yggdrasil berries and the Yggdrasil seed in his little explanation. Shouldn't she be curious about that?

"You look like you want to ask something. Unfortunately, you've already stayed here for far too long as it is." The dragon's voice broke the Scholar from his thoughts. Fortunately, Hall was not as scatterbrained as some people, so he could easily formulate those thoughts into coherent words with littl- "Now go."

Waitwhat?

As suddenly as it had occurred when he first arrived, the Scholar felt the energies of the butterfly wing overtake him once more. He could feel the blue light charge around him, and all it took was a single downward glance to see the magical glow flicker in contrast to the rest of the area's black void. Was this really happening? Was she seriously just going to shoo him away without a second thought?

The Scholar turned his gaze from his body back up to the dragon, only to find a mysterious smile plastered on her face.

"Don't worry. Whatever questions you have, you can ask me later."

Before Hall could speak a word in protest, the world around him vanished.


	53. Unexpected Adjustments

**Chapter 53**  
 **Unexpected Adjustments**

* * *

"You want me to what?"

He wasn't too sure whether he had misheard his boss's orders, or if she had suddenly forgotten why he was on board in the first place. Either way, Roman Torchwick couldn't help but frown at his Scroll, annoyance clearly visible on his face as he stared at the device. In spite of his reaction, however, the criminal kept his attitude in check. On the other end was his _illustrious_ boss, a certain black-haired maniac who was bad news for... pretty much everyone, really. Himself included.

The woman in question was someone outside of Vale, an unknown element in the city's criminal underworld who just decided to show up one day and break their collective legs in a single show of power. Not that he had been present for that demonstration, as Torchwick was hardly someone who drew attention to himself.

Well, he _hadn't_ been, until he was forcibly brought into Cinder's little group. How long has it been now?

Admittedly, he had had worse jobs in the past, and she was passable as far as employers went. Cinder had all the things you could really expect from someone who had strong-armed Vale's underworld: a mysteriously deep bank account, ties to some silly terrorist organization, and even her own band of moronic children. Oh, there was also the whole shadowy plans that she had going on, as well as the 'kill you without a second thought' thing she seemed so fond of, but Roman tried not to think about that so much.

At least she had enough capital to keep him content, which was why he reluctantly did as he was told. And what he had been told to do for the next few months or so was to steal as much dust from the city as he could, and stockpile them in warehouses for some undisclosed plan that she didn't bother explaining. Still, a person like that only had a few uses for that much dust, and since she had the White Fang at her beck and call, Roman had a few educated guesses.

Speaking of the White Fang...

"Why don't you get your mutts to do it, instead?" The orange-haired crook turned his attention back to his boss. For all her covert planning, she wasn't the best at delegation. I mean, when you have an entire group of stupid fanatics at your fingertips, why would you choose to send your only specialist—who, by the way, is your only source of dust at the moment—to scout _Beacon_ of all places? What was he? Chopped liver?

Logic was lost on the woman, as she chose to respond to his quip with a simple glare.

"You have your orders, Roman. Or do I need to reconsider your place in our little organization?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I already know my place." His voice was sarcastic, but Roman wasn't one to ignore a threat from someone like Cinder, so he quickly gestured behind him, bringing the Scroll up so that the woman could see the rest of the room. Unmarked crates lined the back wall, each container filled to the brim with dust. "And in case you forgot, you already told me to rob half of Vale. You're welcome, by the way."

Cinder's eyes narrowed, but she kept quiet as her gaze shifted to the warehouse floor. She didn't seem _that_ irritated by his tone, which was a win in his book, so Roman merely stood still as he waited for the woman to speak.

"... Yes, I did. Last week." Oh, sure, so his orders are weekly now. Roman resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "However, I've been hearing some odd rumours about Beacon lately, and as 'helpful' as the White Fang have been recently... I believe you're more suited to the task."

"Yeah, I guess those animals can get pretty loud." The criminal was deliberately brazen with his statement, his voice carrying through to the rest of the room. Really, taunting those people was one of the few joys he had in his little assignment, so he always appreciated the chance to get on their nerves. "But I've already got a job, remember? And from what _little_ you've told me, you're on a tight enough schedule as it is. So, unless you've got yourself another thief who's as good as I am—which is impossible, by the way—you're gonna end up behind. And if you do, I'd rather you not blame it on me."

Well, time to ease up on his attitude. The moment he had finished his little statement, Roman noticed his conversation partner's expression darken. You know, with the head-tilted-forward, the sudden scowl, the barely perceptible flare of dust rattling behind her... All that usual stuff.

"I am aware of the consequences of my 'request', Roman... as I hope you are, as well." Her eyes fixed themselves on the rogue, obviously not amused with him. "I'll say it again. You are to investigate the forest near Beacon, not the school itself. If you find _anything_ out of the ordinary, let me know. That is all."

"Alright, alright... I'll get it done. Just don't blame me if you don't have enough dust for whatever it is you're planning."

No point in arguing about it anymore, especially if she was going to get into one of her moods. Resisting the urge to shrug, Roman simply gave the woman a slight tilt of his head, a single affirmative action as she finally closed the call.

Affirmative. Yeah, sure, that's a word. He was not looking forward to this.

The security at Beacon was nothing like the half-baked junk used by stores in Vale's commercial district. Sure, he had gotten passed it once before, but that was in the past. Back then, his name wasn't plastered on the news, and the crazy headmaster wasn't using a probably-illegal amount of hidden cameras. And even then, all he had managed to steal was some stupid pocket watch or something.

But now? Well, let's put it this way. It would be easier to slip into the nearest police station, swap their dust munitions with powdered sugar, and pin it all on the janitor than it would be to get into Beacon undetected.

Huh. Actually, he should probably try that as practice or something.

Either way, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he'd have to find a way to do it anyways. With a sigh, Roman Torchwick turned his attention back to his scroll, slowly flipping through his contacts as he tried to find someone suitably competent enough for him to use as a patsy.

* * *

"Hey Ren!"

The sound of his partner's voice broke the young man from his thoughts.

Not that it wasn't a welcome distraction, as the events of the day had long filled the young huntsman-in-training's mind with no small amount of worries. Ren honestly appreciated the solace that his partner's words gave him, as he slowly turned his eyes up to face the young Valkyrie. "Yes Nora?"

"Do you know where Jauney is?" She almost bounced as she asked the question, never one to hold still. As she spoke out, part of her attention was settled on their dorm, her head constantly darting about as she glanced around the room, trying to find their missing leader. "Kali was looking for him, and I promised I'd help her find him!"

Kali... The ghost that their leader had found in the Emerald Forest. It was no surprise that she just one of the many things that occupied Ren's thoughts. Even now, he wasn't quite sure what to feel with regards to the ghost girl. Her arrival was sudden, to say the least, and while she did help out his leader, Ren couldn't help but worry about her presence.

It was understandable, given the fact that she was a ghost. He couldn't even begin to guess what her motivations for sticking around were, and while he couldn't detect any malice from her actions, the green gunman had always felt a sense of... reservation whenever she talked with them. She wasn't exactly keeping them at arm's length, but more than once, Ren had noticed her facial expression shift mid-conversation, suddenly choosing to quiet herself or draw attention away from her words. Still, these awkward pauses might simply have been the result of a difference in culture or conversational habits, since they seemed subconscious moreso than overt.

And even if they weren't, Ren had one more guess on the matter. After all, those shifts in conversation always seemed to occur whenever their blonde leader was within earshot.

Shaking his head, Ren tried to clear himself of those thoughts. Honestly, if his guess was correct, he didn't really need to worry about anything. Well, anything that wasn't related to wondering why an alleged Knight of an ancient kingdom had the same emotional maturity as a teenage girl... Was she a teenage girl in the first place?

A sigh escaped his lips. Better to just stop speculating and be prepared for an actual problem. Pushing the rest of his thoughts aside, Ren turned back to Nora, giving her a slight nod.

"I believe he said he'll be in the Library?" At least, that's what their leader had said an hour or so ago. It was surprising, to say the least, as Jaune hadn't shown much affinity to the idea of independent study. Still, that was where he said he'd be, so Ren simply relayed that information to his partner. "Perhaps you should message him on his scroll."

Ren wasn't too surprised when Nora rejected the idea, shaking her head with exaggerated motions as she shrugged at his words. "Nah, it's fiiiine. I'll just go get him, instead! Library's not too far away."

He could do little but nod, so Ren simply accepted Nora's plan of action, watching with slight bemusement as the spot his partner had been standing at was promptly replaced by a Nora-shaped dust cloud. That visual oddity only lasted for a few moments, however, and Ren soon turned his attention back to his previous thoughts. Well, the subject of his previous thoughts, as he physically turned himself to look at the ghost in question.

"Why are you looking for our leader, if I may ask?" Ren's voice was soft but firm, quickly drawing the ghost girl's attention, pulling her away from current task of examining his team's collective book collection.

"O-oh. Well, I was just... worried about him." He didn't miss the young woman's expression as she broke eye contact, suddenly finding interest in an empty spot of wall. However, Ren wasn't convinced, his gaze not leaving Kali's as he raised a single curious eyebrow. Silence lingered for a moment longer, but whether it was because she noticed his little gesture, or because she actually wanted to speak her mind, the ghost finally continued. "He fights a Crusader, right?"

That... was not what he had expected. At all. The term 'crusader' was definitely not something he would've associated with anything in modern society, let alone his blonde sword-wielding leader. Confusion was evident on his face, as Ren voiced his question. "Pardon? A crusader?"

"Yeah. Slow, deliberate, defensive. He's suited to that sort of combat, right?"

"I suppose so?" Ren wasn't quite sure where the ghost was going with this. He didn't disagree with her analysis, though, as slow and deliberate did seem to describe their leader's fighting style. "I'd also add straightforward and unpolished, though. Why do you ask?"

The ghost nodded at his additions, her face now thoughtful as she stared back at him.

"Actually, that is why I brought it up. I was a concerned with his fighting style. When he was fighting with that bear in the forest, he looked like he was struggling. And during the fight with..." The woman's tone went soft, her eyes suddenly shifting to the floor, no doubt recalling the incident that had rekindled doubt in the Hall monitor.

At least, it had rekindled his doubt, as well as Pyrrha's. He wasn't quite sure how Jaune felt, and he was certain Nora trusted the man so long as he continued to provide her with lightning. Normally, he would've shuddered at the thought, but there were more pressing matters. Ren turned his attention back to the ghost, waiting for her to continue, giving her whatever time she needed to sort through her thoughts.

She took in a deep breath, an action whose curiosity wasn't lost on Ren. Still, he remained quiet as she slowly turned her eyes back up to meet his own.

"... Sorry. During the fight with the other ghost, he didn't look prepared. That's why I wanted to help him, since I still remember my own skills and techniques. But... " Kali gave another slight pause, her voice lingering as her eyes turned away once again. "I don't know too much about the culture now. That's why I wanted to ask: do you think it'd be rude of me to offer to train him?"

Of all the things she was going to ask, Ren certainly hadn't expected the ghost to ask that. He settled his eyes on the translucent woman, unease evident on her face as her blue eyes stared back at him. Was that really all she was worried about? He was good at reading people, and while he wasn't sure how much that applied to ghosts, Ren heard nothing but sincerity in her voice.

Which made Ren think... Would Jaune appreciate something like that?

He tried to be an approachable leader, sure, but the blonde swordsman seemed to think that he had to settle everything on his own. Jaune kept everything to himself: from his struggling academic scores to the bullying from Cardin, his leader had chosen not to ask his team for help with anything. They kept the offer open, of course, with Nora threatening to break Cardin's legs on a regular basis, while Pyrrha and himself offered to listen to any worries he may have had. Yet, he refused it all.

"I'm sorry, but I believe Jaune will take it the wrong way if you offer to train him." The green-robed teenager shook his head, his voice soft as he finally gave his answer. "It's not a culture issue or anything. He just doesn't seem to want anyone to help him."

"But why? Aren't you all friends? You're all supposed to help each other, right?" It was understandable that Kali was confused. Ren couldn't help but nod in agreement as he turned his gaze away from the ghost, settling on the bed of his stubborn team leader.

After all, they were all wondering the exact same thing.

"Yeah..." Ren's voice trailed off, leaving the room in silence for a few moments. Unfortunately, it fell to Jaune to take the first step and open up to them. Until then, they had no choice but to wait. The huntsman-in-training let out a sigh, pushing those thoughts out of his mind as he turned to face the ghost once more. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll open up eventually."

"Alright... If you're sure."

"I am." And he was. Jaune might've been foolish at times, but he was ultimately sensible... as odd as it sounded. Ren knew that he'd eventually open up to them, so he pushed that problem out from his mind. After all, there were a few other things that needed to be cleared up, first.

And a certain floating spirit was one of them.

"... Do you mind if I ask you something, Kali?"

"Not at all! Seeing as how we're team members now!" Her mood brightened considerably as she spoke out those words. The smile she wore reminded Ren of Noram back when his partner had found out that they had been accepted into beacon. "At least, I think that's how it works? That's what the headmaster meant by 'hologram mascot', right?"

Yep. Definitely a few things that needed to be cleared up.

* * *

The life of a teacher is one filled with stress.

That much, Glynda Goodwitch could attest to. Not only did she need to balance work for students on an academic level, she was also the responsible for ensuring that those who struggled had an opportunity to improve.

It wasn't that she disliked this particular responsibility; far from it, as she appreciated the opportunity to assist in the development of any student. However, the problem was that there simply wasn't enough staff to even tend to the first year students, let alone the entire student body of Beacon. Not only that, what precious time she had to teach was often cut short by external factors. Some factors were understandable, such as huntress duties, medical emergencies, or safety concerns, but others...

Well, to put it bluntly, Ozpin needs to stop fooling around.

The instructor brought a single hand up to her head, letting out a tired sigh as she massaged her temple, trying to will her growing migraine away. Just what was Ozpin thinking? Passing off the presence of Ms. Kali as a holographic digital assistant? Of Team JNPR, no less? She was quite certain that the headmaster was not ignorant of the mood of the current student population, either. The polarizing public images of Mr. Arc and Ms. Nikos was already a source of discontent among the students; couldn't he see how much worse 'assigning' a digital assistant to Team JNPR would be?

And the worst part was that it _had_ to be referred to as an assignment. Holographic digital assistants aren't a real thing, after all, so a state-of-the-art huntsman school was the only logical source of such a device... And even that would still bring up questions. Really, couldn't Ozpin come up with something better?

Rather than consider alternatives, however, the Headmaster had simply chosen to delegate the task of Kali's integration to Glynda. This only worsened her workload, which was compounded by the fact that she no longer had the hall monitor to assist with more mundane tasks. Marking by itself was a taxing job, especially now that she had no teaching assistant; a fact that was lost to Ozpin. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if Ozpin had completely forgotten that her class had a _theory_ component to it.

To say nothing of the rest of her work. Her other tasks were no easier, varying in terms of effort and scope as the things she dealt with ranged from revising her syllabus for the fifth time, to hosting individual tutorials for struggling students.

So why was it that she was the one in charge of settling Ms. Kali in as well? Couldn't Ozpin take the time to...

...Actually, now that she thought about it, the best course of action for everyone involved would be for her to settle the issue.

Another sigh escaped Glynda's lips, slowly gathering her documents. At least she had a visible course of action; all she needed to do was to convince Ozpin to drop his foolhardy idea, then somehow find an alternative to the ghost girl looking like a ghost.

It was a shame that visible and viable had two different meanings.

A sudden buzz from her Scroll shook the teacher from her thoughts. Just as quickly as she gathered them, she set her papers aside, immediately setting her sights on the small device. After all, the buzz she had heard was reserved for messages from the Academy's security, which meant that this was an important issue that she needed to address... And judging by the message, it was something she needed to address immediately.

 _'We have a situation on the southern cliffs. Please mediate.'  
_  
The fact that the message was terse was already worrying. What made it worse was that it had originated from one of the more reliable people who worked with campus security. That was more than enough to motivate Glynda, and with a speed rivaling Bartholomew, the blonde-haired teacher departed from her office.

It barely took her two minutes to reach Beacon Cliff, which in itself spoke of her capacity as a huntress, given its distance from the academy proper. As she arrived, Glynda could clearly see the telltale uniform of the campus security, as well as the few security bots fielded by Beacon in times of emergency. The fact that they were deployed worried the woman greatly, and she wasted no time in her approach.

One of the security staff noticed Glynda, quickly breaking off from his colleagues as he jogged up to meet with her. She could see the look of concern on his face, his skin almost ashen.

"What's going on here?"

"It's the-... There's a-... We're not trained for this!" Rather than explain, he pointed towards the cliffside, drawing Glynda's attention to the focus of the security team. The teacher wasn't sure whether to be relieved, concerned, confused or annoyed.

"For the last time, I have no quarrel with any of you! I only ask that you bring forth your garrison commander!"

There, floating in the air, hovering two meters away from the edge of the cliff, was the ghostly Royal Guardsman from the Emerald Forest. Making no effort to obscure himself, completely throwing out any chance of keeping his existence a secret.

...Perhaps they had to use the childish hologram cover after all.

Her Scroll buzzed once more, wrenching Glynda away from the disheartening sight. Again, it was the notification sound reserved for urgent messages, so she pulled her attention away from the ghost. For now. Undoubtedly, she'll have to deal with the fallout of this little incident, and somehow convince the security staff to _not_ mention anything to the students.

She'll worry about that later. At the moment, something far more pressing needed her attention. Glynda turned her focus back to her Scroll, her eyes narrowing as she read the contents of her new notification.

 _'Glynda. Mr. Hall's Scroll signal has reactivated itself. Please travel to the displayed coordinates to confirm. You may take any vehicle you deem necessary.'  
_  
It was a message from Ozpin. A very important message, as it contained the location of their latest source of trouble. Already, Glynda was formulating the questions she'd ask of the man, as well as the new list of restrictions they'd have to impose on him. At the very least, it was obvious that the Scholar would not to be trusted with his bag nor any of its contents, until he clearly explained each item and their usage.

The female instructor was in the middle of formulating an entirely new lesson plan for Hall when she finally took notice of the coordinates. Immediately, her previous thoughts were cast aside, replaced with a single overriding question as she read the numbers again and again.

She sent a message to Ozpin to confirm, and received said confirmation moments later. When the confirmation message said that nothing was in error, Glynda changed her methods, sending a a video call to Ozpin to confront him directly.

"Hmm? Yes Glynda?"

Glynda didn't even bother commenting on the fact that Ozpin was currently reading a pile of books that were unrelated to his job. Instead, she kept her gaze level, eyes focusing on the headmaster as she stared at him. "... Are the coordinates for Mr. Hall's scroll correct?"

The headmaster of beacon quickly closed the book, setting it aside as he turned his full attention to the female teacher. His eyes carried none of the usual mirth or lighthearted tone that seemed to permeate from him whenever he was lying.

"Indeed they are."

To say that Glynda was worried would be an understatement.

"And this is not an elaborate prank?"

"Believe me, Glynda. I would much rather it be a prank than truth."

After all, if the coordinates she had received had not been in error, then that meant Hall was no longer on the grounds of Beacon. The scroll wasn't even located within the City of Vale.

"... And you're certain that this signal is from his Scroll?"

"That's what I'd like you to confirm. I'm sure you can understand why."

Of course she understood. According to these coordinates, the Scholar and his Scroll was currently located west of the City of Vale. More specifically, between Vale and Patch.

Three hundred meters below sea level.


	54. What Lies Beneath (1)

**Chapter 54**  
 **What Lies Beneath (1)**

* * *

Ruby Rose was currently baking cookies.

She... didn't know what else to do. Pyrrha had arrived at their dorm earlier, looking for help and advice. At first, she tried to skirt around the issue, saying that she was just worried with how Jaune had been bullied recently, and how the latest trip to the Emerald Forest had finally motivated her to seek help.

But as they talked more and more about the blonde leader, as the topic drifted towards his tendency to hide his problems, Ruby began to notice something else bothering her fellow redhead. When she had mentioned that Jaune was still safe in the end, that it was a good thing Kali had found him, Pyrrha visibly flinched. Sure, she tried to reason it away, saying that her reaction was because of a sudden itch on her face, but Ruby knew that that little detail was important in some way. She... just wasn't sure how.

Still, it was definitely important. If it wasn't, then Yang wouldn't have had to signal her to drop the topic.

That particular thought caused Ruby to let out a sigh. Apparently, she was bad at talking with people, or picking up little nuance-y things. Which was why she had the bright idea of getting Pyrrha to help bake, instead! What better way to get your mind off of life's problems than to participate in making and eating delicious cookies?

Ruby knew firsthand that the whole cooking process required all of your attention, and that it was the best way to clear your mind of depressing thoughts.

So that's why they were currently in the little kitchen-y section of their dorm. Thankfully, her team didn't seem to mind, as she had gotten permission without much difficulty. Yang had decided to leave them alone, saying that she'll be using the washroom for the better part of an hour. Likewise, Weiss and Blake didn't give much of an answer either, just shrugging at her question while they kept their attention fixed on their magic books.

Which wasn't fair, by the way.

But yeah, she and Pyrrha had the kitchen to themselves! The world was their oyster! Or, well, their cooking counter. With an energetic grin, Ruby turned towards her friend, tilting her head to the side as she began pulling things out from the fridge. "So what kind of cookies do you want to bake, Pyrrha?"

"O-oh, I'm fine with anything. How about you?" The Mistrali warrior of team JNPR gave a polite smile as she answered, her tone soft and level. Which simply wasn't acceptable! Ruby had planned to in order to help Pyrrha out, after all, so she wouldn't take a non-answer for an answer!

"Nu uh!" The sudden refusal must've been unexpected, as a look of confusion spread on Pyrrha's face. Ruby ignored that, however, choosing instead to point her finger straight at the other redhead, determination filling her expression as she stared at her. "This is to help you feel better! So we need to bake something that you'd like!"

"But... I don't really have a preference. To tell you the truth, I don't really eat cookies all that much."

Ruby faltered for a split second, before quickly snapping herself back at attention. It was certainly surprising to hear that, though it shouldn't have been. Sure, Ruby understood the concept of people not necessarily eating cookies, but the tiny snacks were so prolific, the hooded leader was surprised to hear that Pyrrha didn't have a preference at all.

"W-well, In that case..." Worry spread on the little leader's expression. Baking was good and all, but part of the fun in making cookies was enjoying them afterwards. If Pyrrha really didn't like them, then should they do something else...?

Oh, wait! She had an idea!

"I know!" Whatever expression Ruby was wearing earlier quickly dissolved into an enthusiastic smile as she turned to face Pyrrha once more. "Why don't we bake it for your team? That way, you can all enjoy it together! And maybe Jaune will stop being silly and tell you what's wrong, too! I know I get more talk-y when Yang gives me cookies."

From seeing how quickly Pyrrha changed her expression, Ruby could tell that her idea was a good one. The champion's polite smile turned into a grateful one, nodding at her idea as she turned her attention to the counter. "That's a fine idea, Ruby. I'm certain they'd all appreciate it. What type of cookies do you recommend we bake?"

Well, if she was perfectly honest, the hooded leader of Team RWBY still thought that her friend should've been the one to make the decision. However, if she really didn't have a preference... then it was her responsibility to make sure something delicious was chosen, right? Yes, definitely!

"How about chocolate chip! I'll go get them!" She might've been a bit too energetic with her suggestion, but the red leader pay much attention to that detail. Instead, she quickly sped over to the pantry, her attention instantly switching to the shelves, barely hearing Pyrrha's lighthearted chuckle as she devoted her full attention to the search. "Pecans? Nope. Cinnamon? Maaaybe. Raisins? Hissss!... Ooh! There we go!"

And just like that, her task was complete. Disappearing in a puff of petals, Ruby returned to her spot beside Pyrrha, proudly holding up the bag of chocolate chips with a smile on her face. The back of her mind chided her for leaving the pantry in disarray, but its words were quickly quieted in favour of the task at hand, and Ruby wasted no time retrieving the rest of the cooking ingredients.

Flour, eggs, and sugar all found themselves inside a metal bowl, subject to the expert ministrations of Ruby's cookie-crafting as she devoted her full attention to whisking the mixture into a delicious dough. Add a bit of vanilla here, a hint of that cinnamon from earlier... Don't forget the chocolate chips, either! They're the most important part! Then, when you're done, you take the mixture over to the-

 _What was that?  
_  
Ruby froze, her nerves standing on end as she felt something shoot through the air. A soundless rumble echoed, and her body felt the faint charge of lightning. Or... something spark-y. The red leader quickly turned her gaze westward, somehow knowing the source of that strange sensation.

The only problem was that she didn't know _what_ that was. That feeling was so utterly alien to her, she simply couldn't recognize it.

Wait... Could she? The more she thought about it, the more familiar it seemed. Which was weird, since she couldn't think of a single thing that-

"Ruby? Is everything okay?" Pyrrha's voice snapped Ruby from her thoughts. Her friend's voice was sudden, and Ruby couldn't help but give out a quick yelp in response, nearly dropping the bowl of cookie dough in the process.

"Y-yeah! I'm fine! Everything's fine."

"Are you sure? It seems like something's bothering you." Despite Ruby's protests, she could see a worried expression grow on Pyrrha's face, worry spreading through her. That was the last thing she wanted! After all, she was supposed to be helping Pyrrha feel better, not worse! Why did this silly thing have to happen now? The worst part was, she had absolutely no idea what it was! It felt really weird, like when Hall tried to do that one thing with the-

Ruby's eyes widened. Either she was acting crazy and this was nothing... Or they had a lead. She had to tell Ozpin.

"I'm sorry Pyrrha, I'll be right back! Need to see the headmaster!"

The red leader dropped the bowl of cookie dough without another word, not giving it a second thought as she set the bowl aside. Not one person could process what had just happened, with the door to the room slamming open and shut before anyone could fully react. There was a slight pall of silence, as the remaining members of Team RWBY stared at the exit door, before shifting their gaze back to the kitchen counter.

Her team was treated to the rare sight of Ruby abandoning cookies entirely, in favour of something else.

Sufficed to say, they tried their best to follow her.

* * *

The view was... different.

Honestly, even those thoughts were secondary in the Scholar's mind. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have even given his new environment a passing thought. However, Hall certainly hadn't expected the Dragon woman to teleport him so suddenly, displacing him without any warning. The sudden shift from ashen void to... wherever he was provided more than enough reason for him to question his surroundings.

Just where was he?

The Scholar closed his eyes, taking a moment to Sense his surroundings. After all, the first thing he had to do was to determine whether or not he was back in Remnant, and the quickest way to do that would be to examine the local flora and fauna. Tapping into his Spiritual Power, the Scholar reached out into the world around him, relaxing visibly as he felt the telltale hum of Aura.

But, just as quickly as he relaxed, the Scholar tensed up once more. If he was back in Remnant, then it was likely that Grimm was nearby, and he needed to be wary of his environment. Unfortunately, his elemental specialties were Ice and Fire, which were far less effective in his current condition. Still, he held back the urge to curse at himself, as it'd be more beneficial to actually come up with a plan of some sort. For now, he'll just have to rely on his Soul Strike, and his less-than-stellar competencies with his Lightning Bolt.

Now, if only he-

 _"...Explain yourself."_ A female voice immediately echoed from within the Scholar's mind, a dull hum that shook at his temple. And while he didn't actually hear the words, their meaning was not lost, as both tone and meaning were conveyed into his thoughts.

Hall's brow furrowed. He recognized the voice, of course, as it was a distinctive tone that belonged solely to the draconic woman who had sent him here in the first place. That in itself only led to more questions, as the Scholar had no idea how she had sent him away, nor what she was even asking about in the first place. About the only thing he could really comprehend was her communication method, which was the same as the methods used back in Rune-Midgard. Sorta.

 _"Your 'butterfly wing'."_ Her voice was assertive, a curt response that immediately echoed in the Scholar's mind the moment he had asked his internal questions. As if that explained everything. _"They are born of Ymir, and I saw how they wove through the world. All I had to do was mimic it, and it should've sent you back on your way."  
_  
Except it didn't. The Scholar didn't even need to mentally articulate that thought, as he felt the meaning beneath Nidhoggr's voice. Which begs the question of what really happened, and why he ended up here of all places.

 _"More importantly, Child of Ymir... Explain yourself."  
_  
Once more, the Guardian asked her question, no clearer now than she had been the first time. The Scholar honestly wasn't sure what sort of answer she was expecting, especially since he hadn't done anything worth explaining yet. About the only thing he could do before being interrupted was to appraise his location. What exactly did she want to know?

 _"You are beneath the waves. How?"  
_  
Okay, that question made no sense, and the Scholar allowed confusion to fill his mind. The dragon had been the one to transport him to this place, so the Scholar had absolutely no idea how to even answer her. She was the one who could physically observe the phenomenon surrounding the butterfly wing; the only thing that the denizens of Rune-Midgard understood about the artifact was that it simply teleported its user. How was he supposed to answer that?

 _"Not that! How are you breathing underwater?"  
_  
There was a slight pause, the Scholar's mind coming to a halt as he processed her question. No doubt, the dragon could see his thoughts form, comparing and contrasting with itself as Hall attempted to discern the true meaning behind her words. Yet, even after half a minute, the Scholar had no clue what she was talking about. He had no choice but to ask her to clarify herself.

"... What's breathing?"

* * *

 _Time was rarely a luxury one could afford to waste. All too often, one found themselves wishing for more of it, never having quite enough to fulfill tasks or obligations. And at the same time, the struggles of reality cared not for circumstance, eating away at the finite resource, giving neither heed nor respect to the dwindling-_

"Ozpin." An irritated voice broke the headmaster's thoughts, echoing through the air with clear annoyance, shattering the false silence that had filled his office.

 _...the dwindling reserves. It was a shame that such baleful conflicts occurred in day-to-day life, indiscriminately sapping away at everyone involved. If only there were more time, perhaps the world would be a better place, no longer pressed into frantic service of the-_

"Damnit Ozpin, I know you're there!" Glynda's voice was louder this time, shattering the monologue that the Headmaster had attempted to shield himself with. "Stop pretending to be busy. This is serious."

Of that, Ozpin had no doubt. Certainly, he expected his colleague to have many questions about her current assignment, given its circumstance. But the reason why the headmaster had felt compelled to ignore it was simple: He had absolutely no idea _how_ to answer Glynda's concerns. All he knew was what he told her, which was simply that the system had picked up the Scholar's signal again, and that it was somehow in the ocean between Patch and Vale.

If it wasn't for the fact that his desk console was currently set to video conferencing, Ozpin would've double-checked the tracking system, just to be sure that there had been no error. However, since he was currently engaged in other activities important to the academic integrity of Beacon itself, the Headmaster had no choice but to continue his current task. With a heavy heart and burdened shoulders, Ozpin turned the page of his book, intent on studying the contents of the-

His only warning was the telltale ding of his office's elevator.

In an instant, the doors shot open, no other warning given as the air grew charged. He could feel the killing intent emanating from the new opening, his eyes widening slightly at the intensity of the sensation. Yet, Ozpin remained still, accepting his fate as aura began to fill the room, leaving the air charged with energy. Without warning, the headmaster felt the book in his hands leave his grasp, pulled away by an unnatural force, flying through the air as loud footsteps filled the room.

The aggressor made her entrance, a scowl on Glynda Goodwitch's face as she stepped into the room. As her eyes fell on Ozpin's desk monitor, the holodisplay somehow covered by a discarded pile of curtains, the deputy headmistress could do little but let out a sigh.

"Ozpin... Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, Glynda, I didn't realize you were coming. You should've called ahead; I would've prepared some tea for you." The headmaster kept his tone level, one hand clasping his mug as he brought it upwards, taking a quick sip of his drink. "Is there something you needed?"

The female instructor made her way to Ozpin's desk, her eyes narrowing as she approached the man. With a flick of her wrist, she allowed her power to fade, releasing her hold on the book as it dropped uselessly onto the table, the pages spilling open to reveal its contents.

"Yes, there is." Glynda's voice was resigned as she brought a hand up to her forehead, attempting to massage her growing migraine away. Ozpin, for his part, remained unperturbed, settling back down on his desk as he retrieved his book, waiting patiently for his colleague to continue. After a few moments, she finally spoke up once more, her her tone strained and deliberately tempered as she fixed her eyes on his own.

"Could you _please_ explain to me why, instead of answering your Scroll or responding to my questions, you're looking up new coffee machines?"

Fortunately, Ozpin had the perfect excuse.

"Of course. It seems that General Ironwood will be visiting our little academy far earlier than anticipated, so I took the liberty of preparing for his arrival." He allowed the statement to sink in, focusing on Glynda's reaction. No doubt, she'd be too distracted by the sudden news to chide him. Surely, news of Ironwood's schedule change would be enough to divert some of the woman's ire, right?

"Ozpin. This is serious."

But, despite the headmaster's predictions, he had no such luck. Glynda's curt response was wholly uncharacteristic of her usual reaction to the Atlesian general. And at the same time, it was also exactly what Ozpin knew she would say.

"The bullhead will be ready to leave in a few minutes, but until then, we _need_ to talk about this." The blonde teacher settled her gaze squarely on the headmaster, her expression serious as she crossed her arms. "Why are you allowing Team RWBY and JNPR to join the excursion?"

He was... surprised by her question. Not that it was a bad question, by any means; if anything, it was a valid concern. The teenagers had little reason to join along, due in part to their responsibilities as students, but also because they truly had no part to play in the operation. After all, he was certain that no member of RWBY or JNPR was capable of descending 300 meters into the ocean depths, and the only Miss Rose's presence had been considered was her mysterious connection with the Hall monitor. Really, this meant that the most critical members of the operation, after the teachers of course, were the two ghosts: Kali and the Royal Guardsman.

... Yes, the Royal Guardsman. That was another issue entirely, wasn't it?

Rather than address Glynda's concerns, Ozpin let out a tired sigh as his thoughts glanced over their new visitor. That in itself had been an unexpected turn of events, and one that the headmaster was in two minds about.

While he could not deny the usefulness of another individual unaffected by the ocean, Ozpin was still not completely certain _what_ the ghostly Guardian's plan was. There was only so much a conversation could tell you, especially one as rushed as the one that took place between them, and the fact that the headmaster had to participate remotely from Glynda's scroll did him no favours.

Still, it wasn't like Ozpin had included the second ghost on blind faith. If anything, the Royal Guardsman's inclusion had been the result of a very specific set of circumstance; he hadn't even been aware of the ghost's presence on the campus until Glynda had contacted him. And since she had insisted on a video conference call, the news of the warrior ghost's arrival had been relayed to everyone who had been present in the headmaster's office... Which included a certain Miss Rose.

Her sudden participation had been a surprise to the headmaster; Ozpin had expected her to remain silent, merely listening in on the conversation. Yet, when discussion topic had turned to the arrival of the Royal Guardsman, Ruby Rose made her presence known, her voice suddenly shooting out as she expressed surprise and relief at the ghost's safety. An admirable trait, certainly, but one that had informed Glynda that the girl had been listening in to the conversation, under Ozpin's unspoken permission.

Which caused no small amount of ire to be directed towards him, as his colleague quickly began throwing about statements like "academic conversational integrity", "professional expectations", and "irresponsible coffee addict".

Regardless, Ruby Rose had ultimately been included into the discussion, which in turn caused the ghostly Royal Guard to join in as well. So, imagine his surprise when the first thing the ghost had done was apologize for involving Ruby in the quarrel between himself and the Scholar. The conversation from then on took on a less formal tone, with discussions falling to that of Ruby's teammates and companions of RWBY and JNPR.

Ah, right, Team RWBY and JNPR. Glynda was still expecting a response from him, wasn't she?

When he finally turned his attention back to his colleague, he didn't miss the irritated scowl that had formed on her face, no doubt the result of his extended silence. "I'm surprised you're commenting on the students, rather than voicing concern over our new friend."

"While I still have concerns about our... associate, I am certain that Peter, Bartholomew, and I are equipped enough to handle an incident, should one arise." Glynda kept her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Ozpin as her glare intensified. "At least, I was certain of that until you decided to include the students. It was bad enough that you allowed Miss Rose to participate in our discussion."

Ozpin was not at all surprised to see that she was still sour about that little fact. Still, it wasn't like he had a choice on the matter, given the timing and circumstance. The headmaster closed his eyes for a moment, simply nodding at the woman's words as he took another drink from his mug, before focusing himself on his associate.

"My apologies Glynda, but Miss Rose was the one who approached me in the first place, and the one who convinced me that this little display error was, in fact, not an error." The headmaster released a tired sigh, his attention turning away from the blonde teacher to rest on the Scroll. "Were this any other case, with any other team, I would've forbidden them from participating. But you and I both know that Team RWBY wouldn't accept that answer, and that JNPR would undoubtedly be following behind... So I'd prefer it if they were under proper supervision."

"I... suppose you're right. For first year teams, they are very... independent." Glynda let out her own exhausted sigh, nodding in response as she retrieved her Scroll. "But if that is the case, there is one more thing I need to ask you, Ozpin."

"What is it, Glynda?"

"Why didn't you just tell me her involvement earlier, over the Scroll?"

Ozpin blinked at that question, a genuine look of confusion spreading on his face.

"... I didn't?"


End file.
